TAXIS, 


THE 


SAXG-DIGGEB. 


TANIS, 


THE 


BANG-DIGGER 


BY 


AMELIE    RIVES. 


NEW  YORK: 

TOWN  TOPICS  PUBLISHING  CO., 

21  WEST  23D  STREET. 

1893. 


COPYRIGHT,   1893,   BY 

TOWN  TOPICS  PUBLISHING  CO. 
All  Rights  Reserved. 


TANIS,  THE  SANG-D1GGER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ILMAN  was  driving  along  one  of  the  well- 
kept  turnpikes  that  wind  about  the  Warm 
Springs  Valley.  He  recognized  the  austere  and 
solemn  beauty  that  hemmed  him  in  from  the  far- 
off  outer  world;  but  at  the  same  time  he  was  con 
trasting  it  with  the  sea-coast  of  his  native  state, 
Massachusetts,  and  a  certain  creeping  homesick 
ness  began  to  rise  about  his  heart. 

In  addition  to  this,  he  had  left  his  delicate  wife 
suffering  with  an  acute  neuralgic  headache,  and 
also  saddened  by  a  yearning  for  the  picturesque 
old  farm-house  in  which  he  had  been  born,  and 


M12025 


8  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

where  they  had  lived  during  the  first  year  of 
marriage. 

The  trap  which  Gilman  drove  was  filled  with 
surveying  instruments,  and,  as  he  turned  into  the 
rough  mountain  road,  which  led  towards  the  site 
of  the  new  railway  for  which  he  was  now  pros 
pecting,  the  smaller  ones  began  to  rattle  together 
and  slide  from  the  seat  beside  him.  Finally,  as 
the  cart  slipped  against  a  stone,  the  level  bounced 
into  a  puddle.  He  was  about  to  jump  out  when  a 
bold,  ringing  voice  called  to  him: 

"  Set  still— A'll  pick  hit  up!" 

Then  a  figure  slid  down  the  rocky  bank  at  his 
right,  her  one  garment  wrinkling  from  her  bare, 
sturdy  legs  during  the  performance. 

Gilman  had  never  seen  anything  like  her  in  his 
thirty  years  of  varied  experience. 

She  was  very  tall.  A  curtain  of  rough,  glitter 
ing  curls  hung  to  her  knees.  Her  face,  clear  with 
that  clearness  which  only  a  mountain  wind  can 
bring,  was  white  as  a  sea  gull's  breast,  except 
where  a  dark,  yet  vivid  pink  melted  into  the  blue 
veins  on  temples  and  throat.  Her  round,  fresh 


TAXIS,    THE    SANOD1GGER. 

lips,  smooth  as  a  peony-leaf,  were  parted  in  a  wide 
laugh,  over  teeth  large  and  yellow-white,  like  the 
grains  on  an  ear  of  corn.  She  wore  a  loose  tunic 
of  blue-gray  stuff,  which  reached  to  the  middle  of 
her  legs,  covered  with  grass  stains  and  patches  of 
mould.  Her  bare  feet,  somewhat  broadened  by 
walking,  were  well-shaped,  the  great  toe  standing 
apart  from  the  others,  the  strong,  round  ankles, 
although  scratched  and  bruised,  perfectly  sym 
metrical.  Her  arms,  bare  almost  to  the  shoulder, 
were  like  those  with  which,  in  imagination,  we 
complete  the  Milo.  Eyes,  r6und  and  colored  like 
the  edges  of  broken  glass,  looked  boldly  out  from 
under  her  long  black  eyebrows.  Her  nose  was 
straight  and  well  cut,  but  set  impertinently. 

As  she  picked  up  the  muddy  level  she  laughed 
boisterously  and  wiped  it  on  her  frock. 

"Thank  you,"  said  Gilman,  and  then,  after  a 
second's  hesitation,  added: 

"Where  are  you  going?  Perhaps  I  can  give 
you  a  lift  on  your  way.  Will  you  get  in  ?" 

"  Well,  a  done  keer  ef  a  do,"  she  said,  still 
staring  at  him. 


10  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

She  got  in  and  took  the  level  on  her  knee,  then 
burst  out  laughing  again — 

"A  reckon  yuh  wonders  what  a'm  a  haw- 
hawin'  at  ?"  she  asked,  suddenly.  "  Well,  a'll 
tell  yuh  !  'Tis  caze  a  feels  jess  like  this  hyuh 
contrapshun  o'  yourn.  A  hain't  hed  a  bite  sence 
five  this  mawnin',  and  a've  got  a  bubble  in  th' 
middle  o'  me,  a  ken  tell  yuh  !" 

She  opened  her  flexible  mouth  almost  to  her 
ears,  showing  both  rows  of  speckless  teeth,  and 
roaring  mirthfully  again. 

"I've  got  some  sandwiches,  here — won't  you 
have  one  ?"  said  Gilrnan. 

"Dunno — what  be  they  ?''  she  asked,  rather  sus 
piciously,  eyeing  him  sidewise. 

He  explained  to  her,  and  she  accepted  one,  tear 
ing  from  it  a  huge  semi-circle,  which  she  held  in 
her  cheek  while  exclaiming  : 

"Murder!  hain't  that  good,  though  ?  D'yiih  eat 
them  things  ev'y  day  ?  Yuh  looks  hit!  You're  a 
real  fine-lookin'  feller— mos'  ez  good-lookin'  ez 
Bill." 

"  Who  is  Bill?"  asked  Gilman,  much  interested 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  11 

in  this,  his  first  conversation  with  a  genuine 
savage. 

"  Bill  ?  he's  muh  pard,  an'  muh  brother,  too.  I 
come  down  hyuh  tuh  git  him  a  drink  o'  water, 
but  a  hain't  foun'  a  spring  yit." 

"  Xo,  there  isn't  one  in  several  miles,"  said  Gil- 
man. 

"  My  Lawd  above  us!''  she  cried.  "Ilyuh! 
Lemme  git  out.  Whar  be  yuh  agoin',  anyhow  ?" 

Gilnian  told  her. 

"I've  an  idea,"  he  added.  "  If  you'll  wait  for 
me  here,  I'll  be  back  in  about  an  hour,  and  I'll 
bring  you  some  water/' 

She  turned  on  him,  her  brow  knotted  into  a 
fierce  frown. 

"Ho!  I  knows  yuh  !"  she  cried.  "You're  one 
o'  them  stuck-up  valley  fellers.  /  knows  yuh  ! 
You're  ashamed  tuh  git  caught  ridin'  wi'  me  !" 

"  Indeed,  I'm  not,"  he  said,  flushing. 

"Yuh  aii-!"  she  retorted,  angrily.  "I  knows 
yuh  !  You're  one  o'  them  fools  ez  reads  books, 
an'  thinks  nothin'  'live's  got  any  sense  but  yuh- 
selves.  But  yuh's  jess  ez  big  a  fool  ez  anybordy! 


12  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

A  hain't  thought  yuh  looked  suh  pizen  smart  f um 
th'  fust.  Yuh  got  nice  shiny  liar  an'  eyes,  an'  a 
sweetish  mouth,  an'  these  hyuh  fool  things  ez  yuh 
go  'long  th'  road  a-droppin'  fur  other  folks  tuh 
pick  up.  Thar !  hit'Jl  sarve  yuh  right  ef  hit 
breks,"  and,  with  a  jerk  of  her  strong  wrist,  she 
sent  the  level  flying  over  the  horse's  head. 

Being  unaccustomed  to  having  levels  hurled 
about  her  ears,  the  mare  snorted  and  reared,  half 
whirling  around  at  the  same  time. 

"Sit  still!"  cried  Gil  man,  sharply,  as  the  girl 
was  about  to  jump  out.  "  What  a  vixen  you  are, 
eh  ?"  he  added,  good-naturedly,  as  he  pulled  up 
the  mare  in  order  to  get  his  unfortunate  instru 
ment. 

"  Will  you  hold  the  reins,  Mademoiselle,  while 
/pick  up  my  '  contrapshun'  this  time?'' 

"  Hyuh  !  done  yuh  call  me  no  names,"  she  re 
plied,  threateningly.  "A've  licked  Bill  lots  o' 
times,  an'  a  lay  a  ken  lick  you." 

"Mademoiselle  only  means  Miss,  in  French," 
explained  Gilman,  meekly. 

<k  Then   you   call   me  '  Miss/  in  English,"  she 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  13 

growled,  surlily.  "  That's  some  more  o'  yo'  stuck- 
up  foolishness.  'Sides,  that  wud  didn't  soun'  like 
it  was  Miss,  in  no  langidge.  Hit  sounded  like  a 
red-hot  cuss  wud,  an'  a  wone  stand  no  more 
on  'm." 

"  Bill  must  have  a  calm,  sweet  life,"  suggested 
Oilman,  mildly,  getting  in  with  his  level. 

"  Yuh  let  Bill  alone,"  she  snapped  back.  "  He'll 
scalp  yuh,  quickern'  a  Injun,  ef  yuh  fools  wi' 
me." 

For  about  a  mile  they  drove  on  in  silence;  then, 
at  the  edge  of  the  wood,  Gilman  pulled  up. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  you  may  get  angry  again,  but 
I'm  going  to  say  to  you  what  I'd  say  to  my  own 
sister.  First,  I  don't  want  to  take  you  any  fur 
ther,  because  we'll  soon  be  among  a  lot  of  rough 
men,  white  and  black.  Second,  I  want  you  to  tell 
Bill  that  I  don't  think  he  ought  to  let  you 
scramble  about  these  lonely  woods,  by  yourself, 
with  only  that  one  piece  of  clothing  on." 

"  Now,  you  look  a-hyuh,"  she  retorted,  narrow 
ing  her  eyes  upon  him.  "  Ef  you  want  me  to  war 
more  does,  you  jess  start  about  an'  get  'em  fuh 


14  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

me.  Bill  hain't  got  no  money  tub  wase  on  sech 
darn  foolishness." 

"Very  well,"  said  Oilman,  "I  will,  with  pleas 
ure.  If  you'll  come  home  with  me,  I'll  give 
you  some,  to-day.  By  the  way,  will  you  tell  me 
your  name  ?" 

"You  tell  me  yourn." 

"My  name  is  George  Gilman." 

"  Well,  mine's  Tanis.  Funny  kynd  o'  name, 
ain't  hit?" 

"  It's  very  like  the  name  of  a  Carthaginian 
goddess." 

"  A  Carthagi — now,  you  look  a-hyuh  !  Done 
you  begin  yo'  book-stuff  on  me  agin — a  wone 
stand  hit."  She  brought  her  fist  down  so 
energetically  upon  her  crossed  knee  that  her  leg 
flew  out  as  if  moved  by  machinery. 

"Yuh   hyah  me?"  she  said. 

"It's  very  hard  not  to  make  you  angry, 
Miss  Tanis." 

"No  'tain't,  nuther,  ef  yuh  talk  sense  tuh 
me.  But  a  nuvver  could  stand  Torm  fools, 
not  even  muh  ole  dad  ;  he  was  one,"  she 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  15 

added,  quickly.  "A  nuvver  did  see  whar  Bill  an' 
me  got  our  sense,  case  Ma,  she  wuz  one,  too." 

Gilman  got  down  hastily,  to  hide  a  smile, 
and  turned  to  give  her  his  hand,  but  she  was 
out,  with  the  bound  of  a  deer,  before  he  could 
touch  her. 

"You  g'long,"  she  said;  "a'm  sorry  a  rode 
this  far  wi'  you.  You'll  larf  'bout  muh  bar 
foots,  an'  this  hyuh  rag  o'  mine,  wi'  them  po' 
white  trash  an'  niggers.  Whar  you  fura,  any 
how  ?  Yuh  hain't  a  Fuginia  feller.  A  kin  tell 
by  yo'  talk.  You  called  roots  '  ruts'  jess  now, 
an'  yuh  said  we'd  'sun'  be  whar  them  other 
fellers  be.  Whar  you  fum?" 

"From   Massachusetts,"  said   Gilman. 

"  S'that  another  langidge  f  uh  some  name  a 
knows?" 

"Xo — it's   the  real   name  of  another  State." 

"  Well,  hit's  'nuff  tub  twis'  a  body's  tongue, 
fuh  life,  so  a  done  blame  yuh  s'much  fuh  yo' 
funny  talk.  Mawnin'."  And  she  began  to 
swing  herself  upon  a  great  lichen-crusted  boul 
der  by  the  roadside. 


16  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"Then  you're  not  going  to  wait  and  go  back 
with  me  for  the  clothes?1'  asked  Gilman. 

"  Mebbe  a  will,  an'  mebbe  a  wone.  All  do 
ez  a  darn  please  ;  yuh  ken  gamble  on  thet." 

"Well,  good-bye,  then,  Miss  Tanis.  I  sup 
pose  you  won't  tell  me  your  last  name?" 

"Muh  lars'  name  but  one's  Gloriany. '  A've 
got  three,"  and  she  grinned  at  him. 

"But  the   other?" 

"Nuvver  you  mine,"  she  called  back,  from 
her  perch  far  above  his  head.  "  M'other  name's 
ugly  'nuff  tuh  give  Satan  th'  toothache.  But 
that  hain't  no  odds.  We  gals  ken  alluz 
change  our  names.  Now  yuh  g'long  an  done 
drap  that  cussed  old  bubble  agin,  or  hit'l  bust, 
sho'."  • 

She  gave  a  wild  whoop  of  laughter  at  her 
own  wit,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight,  in  the 
thick  woods. 


TASIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  17 


CHAPTER  II. 

ILMAX  was  naturally  curious  as  to  the 
type  of  young  barbarian  whom  he  had 
met  on  his  drive  to  Back  Creek,  and,  during 
a  pause  in  his  work,  he  told  a  young  fellow 
named  Watkins  of  his  adventure,  and  asked 
him  to  what  class  the  girl  belonged. 

"I  reckon,  sir,  she  was  a  sang-digger,"  said 
Watkins,  laughing.  "  They're  a  awful  wild 
lot,  mostly  bad  as  they  make  'em,  with  no 
more  idea  of  right  an'  wrong  than  a  lot  o' 
ground-horgs." 

"But  what  is  a  ' sang-digger '?"  asked  Oil 
man,  more  and  more  curious. 

"  Well,  sir,  sang,  or  ginseng,  ez  the  real  name 
is,  is  a  sorter  root  that  grows  thick  in  the 
mountains  about  here.  They  make  some  sorter 
medicine  outer  it.  I've  chawed  it  myself  for 
heartburn.  It's  right  payin',  too — sang  diggin' 
is,  sir;  you  ken  git  at  least  a  dollar  a  pound  for  it, 
an'  sometimes  you  ken  dig  ten  pounds  in  a  day, 


18  TANIS,    THE    SANG- DIGGER. 

but  that's  right  seldom.  Two  or  three  pounds  a 
day  is  doin'  well.  They're  a  awful  low  set,  sir, 
sang-diggers  is.  We  call  'em  ' snakes'  hereabouts, 
'cause  they  don't  have  no  place  to  live  'cep'in'  in 
winter,  and  then  they  go  off  somewhere  or  ruther, 
to  their  huts.  But  in  the  summer  and  early  au 
tumn  they  stop  where  night  ketches  'em,  an' 
light  a  fire  an'  sleep  'round  it.  They  cert'n'y  are  a 
bad  lot,  sir.  They'll  steal  a  sheep  or  a  horse  ez 
quick  ez  winkin'.  Why,  t'want  a  year  ago  that 
they  stole  a  mighty  pretty  mare  o'  mine,  that  I  set 
a  heap  by,  an'  rid  off  her  tail  and  mane  a-tearin' 
through  the  brush  with  her.  She  got  loose  some 
how  and  come  back  to  me.  But  they  stole  two 
horses  for  ole  Mr.  Hawkins,  down  near  Fallin' 
Springs,  an'  he  a'in't  been  able  to  get  'em  back. 
There's  awful  murders  an'  villainies  done  by  'em. 
But  some  o'  them  sang- digger  gals  is  awful  pretty, 
though  they  go  half  naked  in  summer  time  an' 
are  mostly  mighty  dirty.  Yes,  sir,  I  reckon  she 
was  a  sang-digger,  shore  enough." 

Late   that   afternoon,   as   Gilman    reached    the 
big  boulder  up  which  the  girl  had  climbed  that 


TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  19 

moining,  a  loud  halloa  stopped  him,  and,  looking 
up,  he  saw  that  she  was  swinging  herself  down  its 
fern-tufted  sides. 

He  pulled  up  and  waited  to  see  what  she  would 
say. 

Coming  close  to  the  side  of  the  cart  she  put  a 
bare  foot  on  the  step,  and  stood  looking  at  him  for 
a  while  in  silence.  Her  hair  rioted  as  freely  as 
ever,  but  she  had  thrown  a  bit  of  bright  crimson 
stuff  about  her  shoulders,  and  a  man's  soft  hat, 
ornamented  with  a  deer  tail,  was  pulled  down 
about  her  ears. 

"Say!"  she  burst  forth,  finally.  "  A  was  pizen 
mean  tuh  yuh  this  mawnin'.  A  reckons  yuh  done 
keer  'bout  totin'  me  back  fur  them  duds?" 

"  Why,  yes,  I  do,"  said  Oilman,  pleasantly. 
"Jump  in." 

She  hesitated  for  a  second,  and  then  bounded  in 
beside  him,  shaking  the  whole  vehicle  and  starting 
the  mare  into  a  gallop.  After  another  second  she 
addressed  him,  with  her  usual  explosiveness. 

"  Be  yuh  a-doin'  o'  this  hyuh  outer  cussedness, 
or  be  yuh  a-playin'  on  the  squar'?" 


20  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  doing  it  out  of  '  cus- 
sedness'?"  asked  Gilman. 

"  A  means,  be  yuh  a-goin'  tub  yank  me  off  some- 
whar  an'  keep  me,  or  be  yuh  agoin'  tub  give  me 
them  duds  an'  lemme  go?  A  reckons  a'm  a  darn 
fool  tub  go  wi'  yuh  —  that's  wbut  a  reckons 
a  be." 

"  Why,  of  course  I'm  going  to  let  you  go,"  he 
said,  smiling. 

"Then  a  reckons  yoitre  a  darn  fool,  too,"  was 
her  brief  comment.  "  They  been't  a  feller,  wi'  any 
gumption  under  his  hat,  t'wix  hyuh  an'  the  Blue 
Ridge,  ez  'ud  lemme  go  onct  he  got  a  holt  o'  me. 
But  a  hain't  nuvver  bed  a  feller  yit,"  she  added, 
quickly.  "  When  they  tries  thar  fool  tricks  wi'  me 
a  smacks  'em  upside  down."  She  looked  at  him 
steadily  for  a  moment,  and  then  said,  with  slow, 
emphasis: 

"  No  feller  hain't  nuvver  kissed  me  sence  a  wuz 
bawn,  'cep'n  Bill.  D'yuh  b'leeve  me,  or  d'yuh 
think  a'm  a  blamed  liar?" 

"I  believe  you,"  said  Oilman, 

Her  eyes  softened. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  21 

"A  reckons  you're  tlr  right  sort,''  she  said, 
smiling.  "A  reckons  you're  a  gentleman." 

"I  have  thought  so,"  he  returned,  also  smiling. 

"D'yuh  know  what  Zbe?<?  she  demanded,  after 
another  period  of  silence.  "  Well,  I  be  a  sang- 
digger.  They  calls  us  '  snakes,'  them  valley  fools 
does.  We're  a  right  wile  lot,  too,  stranger.  No 
feller  ez  done  want  daylight  through  him,  oughn't 
tuh  monkey  wi'  no  sang-digger,  man  or  woman." 

"  No,"  said  Gilman,  gravely.  "  I  should  think 
not." 

She  regarded  him  again  with  silent  intentness, 
and  then  observed,  deliberately  : 

"  There  was  a  sang-digger  onct  murdered  a  man 
fuh  twenty  cents.  I've  biled  coffee  fuh  him  many 
a  time.  He  wuz  a  right  kynd  sorter  feller,  too, 
Jim  wuz;  but  he  hed  a  drunk  on,  an'  he  wanted 
that  twenty  cents.  A  knows  whar  th'  other  feller's 
skellington  is  now,  but  a  wouldn't  tell  yuh  ef  yuh 
cut  ma  th'oat  fuh  it.  Jim  wuz  th'  kyndest  feDer 
tuh  dumb  critters  yuh  ever  see  in  yo'  life.  A  tole 
himef  th'  man  had  been  deef  an'  dumb  he  wouldn't 
a  stuck  him.  Hit  didn'  seem  to  bother  Jim,  though. 


22  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEB. 

He  said  he  bed  to  tell  somebordy,  so  he  tole  me; 
then  he  felt  fust  rate.  He  said  ez  how  th'  man 
heddn't  but  one  leg,  ennyhow,  an'  a  feller  wi'  only 
one  leg  wuz  better  off  whar  he  wouldn't  need  no 
legs.  He  said  he'd  thank  anybordy  tub  put  a  hole 
through  him  if  he  didn't  hev  but  one  leg.  An'  he 
spent  that  thar  twenty  cents  on  whisky,  an'  drunk 
hit,  too  !  Jim  wuz  a  caution,  but  he  never  fooled 
wi'  me" 

Gilman  gazed  at  her,  with  a  certain  blankness  of 
expression.  He  wondered  what  the  writer  of  Ec- 
clesiastes  would  have  said  about  her. 

Her  next  remark  showed  a  sudden  change  of 
thought. 

"  This  hyuh  rag  a  got  'round  muh  neck's  a  right 
prutty  color,  hain't  hit  ?"  she  asked.  "  Bill  tore 
down  a  lot  o'  winder  things  outer  a  woman's  house 
lars'  winter,  an'  I  tuk  this  hyuh  one,  an'  dyed  it 
with  pokeberries.  Hit  sots  off  ma  har  right  well 
— done  it  ?"  And,  pulling  one  of  her  heavy  tresses 
over  her  shoulder,  she  began  to  curl  it  around 
her  fingers,  and  spread  it  out  on  the  gaily-colored 
stuff. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGEB.  23 

It  suddenly  occurred  to  Gilraan  that  he  might 
have  some  trouble  in  explaining  this  young  woman 
to  Alice,  who  was  always  interested  in  the  poor 
people  whom  he  brought  home,  for  employment  or 
aid. 

"Did  yuh  ever  see  har  no  prettier  nor  mine?" 
she  then  demanded. 

"No;  it's  very  beautiful,  and  you've  got  such  a 
lot  of  it,"  said  the  young  man. 

"  We  be  reel  chummy,  muh  har  an'  me,"  she 
went  on.  "  When  hit  tuns  cold  in  th'  mountains, 
a  wrops  hit  'round  me,  an'  hit  kynder  comforts  me. 
A  nusses  hit  on  muh  bres,  like  a  baby,  sometimes. 
An'  a  talks  tuh  hit.  Seems  like  hits  a  critter,  all 
tuh  hitself,  muh  har  does.  Sometimes  hit  wone 
skars  curl,  tuh  save  muh  neck;  then,  agin,  hit 
twangles  up,  nios'  like  a  nigger's,  an'  hit  done  stay 
th'  same  color  two  days  han'  runnin'.  Mos'ly  hit's 
like  hit  is  now,  but  sometimes  hit's  percisely  like 
raw  wood  in  the  sunlight,  when  them  little  red, 
shiny  flames  is  beginnin'  tuh  lick  roun'  hit.  Hit's 
got  streaks  in  hit,  too,  mos'  zackly  like  a  new  silver 
quarter.  See?"  And  she  pulled  it  back  from  her 


24  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

temples  and  turned  her  head  aside,  that  he  might 
look. 

Somehow,  Gilman  felt  very  glad  that  dusk  was 
beginning  to  gather,  so  that  his  companion  was 
somewhat  veiled  from  the  passers-by.  He  felt 
that  he  had  caught  a  Tartar  with  a  vengeance, 
and  the  idea  of  Alice,  confronted  with  this 
wild  mountain  girl,  disturbed  him  more  and 
more. 

When  he  reached  Fern  Ledge,  as  they  called 
their  house,  he  asked  Tanis  to  hold  the  mare, 
while  he  went  for  some  one  to  put  her  up.  This 
was,  however,  only  a  subterfuge,  to  get  a  chance 
of  explaining  the  situation  to  Alice.  He  found 
her  recovered  from  her  headache,  and  marking  a 
copy  of  Shelley's  poems,  the  covers  of  which  were 
beginning  to  curl  from  being  held  so  near  the 
fire.  She  smiled  at  his  fears,  and  told  him  to 
bring  the  girl  to  her  at  once. 

When  Tanis  entered,  she  stood  for  a  moment, 
blinded  by  the  white  glare  from  the  two  lamps 
which  lighted  the  pretty  room,  although  the  sun 
had  not  quite  set.  Then,  brushing  her  hand 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  25 

across  her  eyes,  she  advanced  a  step  or  two  and 
then  stood  still. 

It  was  a  simple  little  picture — the  graceful, 
high-born  woman  half  rising  from  her  sofa,  the 
tall,  embarrassed  man,  with  his  pronounced  air  of 
civilization,  ushering  in  this  wild  creature,  clothed 
about  in  her  web  of  wind-snarled  hair — the  little 
room,  bright  with  white  and  blue  chintz,  with 
bowls  of  flowers,  with  water- color  drawings,  its 
cottage  piano  littered  with  music,  its  low  tables 
friendly  with  books!  There  was  a  warm  scent  of 
Russian  leather  and  roses  in  the  air. 

Tanis  was  the  first  to  speak.  She  looked  paler 
in  the  white  lamplight. 

'*  S'that  yo'  woman  ?''  she  demanded,  briefly, 
pointing  to  Alice. 

'*  That  is  my  icife,"  said  Oilman. 

"  She  looks  a  heap  older'n  you  do/'  remarked 
the  girl. 

"I  con  older/'  remarked  Alice,  gently,  a  pink 
spot  painting  itself  under  either  eye. 

"  Well,"  observed  Tanis,  "  /holes  ez  how  th' 
man  oughter  be  the  oldest,  Now,  when  he," 


26  TANIS,    THE    SANG  DIGGER.. 

jerking  her  thumb  towards  Gilmari,  without  look 
ing  at  him,  "when  he's  a  good-lookin',  middle- 
aged  feller,  you'll  be  all  tuh  pieces." 

"My  husband  loves  me,  not  my  looks,"  said 
Alice,  her  face  tingling,  as  though  from  a  smart 
blow. 

"My!"  muttered  the  girl,  "hit's  mighty  hard 
tuh  tell  how  much  hit's  looks  an'  how  much  hit's 
ooman  a  man  loves.  Looks  is  got  a  heap  to  do 
wi'  love,  a  kin  tell  yuh  !  You're  right  nice-lookin' 
now,  but  you're  mortal  skinny,  an'  yo'  eyes  swivel 
when  yuh  smile?,  a-ready.  Yuh  awful  little,  too. 
A  feller  could  lose  yuh  twix'  his  shirt-collar  an' 
his  ves'-porket.  an'  nuvver  know  whar  yuh  went 
tuh.  Hit  cert'n'y  do  beat  me  why  you  two  got 
hitched.  Wuz  she  rich  ?"  she  ended,  turning  to 
Oilman,  whose  face  was  flushed  and  angry.  He 
was  in  a  horrible  position,  fearing  to  oppose  her,  lest 
she  should  grow  violent,  and  seeing,  by  his  wife's 
face,  that  each  brutal  word  was  a  home  thrust. 

"  I  think  you  said  something  about  clothes, 
George,"  said  Alice,  coming  forward.  "  I  will  go 
and  get  them." 


TA>iIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  27 

He  went  out  with  her,  supporting  her  with 
one  arm,  and  Tanis  was  left  alone  in  the  fragrant 
room.  She  wheeled  about,  and  scowled  at  the 
closed  door. 

"  Well,  of  all  the  two-legged  Jack-asses  !"  she 
said,  at  last,  in  her  slow  growl.  "  Well,  of  all  th' 
darn  Torm-fools  !" 

She  brought  her  hand  down,  with  a  bang,  on 
the  object  nearest  her,  which  happened  to  be  the 
piano.  The  shrill  discord  startled  her,  and  she 
leaped  back  ;  then,  venturing  to  approach  it 
again,  struck  some  single  notes  with  her  fore 
finger.  The  sound  displeased  her,  however,  and 
she  turned  away,  lounging  about  the  room  with 
her  free,  woodland  motion.  She  opened  a  book 
or  two,  wet  her  finger  and  touched  the  lamp- 
chimneys  cautiously  to  see  if  they  would  "smack;'' 
pulled  out  the  pictures  from  the  wall,  in  her  desire 
to  know  if  the  colors  went  through  to  the  other 
side,  and,  finally,  opened  Alice's  bottle  of  crown- 
lavender  salts,  which  she  had  been  using  for  her 
headache. 

"  Murder  !"  she  cried,  as  Oilman  entered,  fling- 


28  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DTGGER. 

ing  it  from  her,  so  that  it  smashed  on  the  slate 
hearth,  "the  cussed  thing's  wuss'n  a  gun.  A 
thought  muh  head  wuz  off." 

(t  Here  are  the  clothes,"  he  said,  drily.  "  There 
is  a  bedroom  across  the  hall  where  you  can  put 
them  on." 

She  stared  at  him. 

"  Wut's  the  bed  got  tuh  do  wi'  hit  ?''  she  then 
demanded.  "  Does  yuh  wooman  git  in  bed  tuh 
dress  herself  ?" 

"  It  isn't  necessary  to  mention  my  wife,"  he 
said,  tartly.  "A  bedroom  is  the  place  where 
people  usually  put  on  their  clothes." 

"  Well,  a  hain't  a-goin'  in  no  bedroom,"  she  re 
plied,  looking  obstinate.  "  A'll  put  'em  on  hyuh, 
or  a  wone  put  'em  on  nowhar." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Oilman.  "I'll  go  out  until 
you  are  ready." 

Again  she  stared  at  him,  and  then  burst  into  her 
tempestuous  laugh. 

"Lawdy,  lawdy!"  she  cried,  "but  you  valley 
fellers  air  a  caution  !" 

She   came   to  the  door  in  a  few  minutes,  and 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  29 

called  to  Gilraan,  who  was  pacing  miserably  up 
and  down  the  hall. 

"  Say!''  she  shouted,  "  how  many  o'  these  hyuh 
duds  be  thar,  anyhow?  A  hain't  got  room  on  me 
fuh  any  mo',  an'  ther's  'bout  three  lef  over." 

"  Make  them  into  a  bundle  and  take  them  with 
you,"  he  said,  distracted. 

"  Well,"  she  assented,  "  a  mus'  be  a-movin',  too. 
Bill,  he's  a-goin'  tuh  meet  me  over  tuh  Rourke's. 
A  reckon  a  kin  light  out  up  th'  mountain  from 
hyuh,  cyarn't  a?1' 

"  But  you'll  tear  your  clothes  all  to  pieces,"  he 
objected.  "  I  haven't  unhitched  the  mare.  I'm 
going  to  drive  you  to  the  place  where  you  told  me 
your  brother  was  going  to  meet  you.  You  can't 
scramble  through  the  brush  with  these  clothes 
on." 

"A  hain't  gwine  tuh,"  she  said,  briefly;  "  a'm 
gwine  tuh  tek  'em  off  th'  fus'  fence  a  comes  tuh." 

"  Of  course  you  can  do  as  you  like,"  he  replied  ; 
"but  I'd  much  rather  drive  you,  if  you  don't 
mind." 

She  stood  still  and  looked  at  him  curiously. 


30  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"Heel  you  ruther?"  she  asked,  in  a  gentler 
voice. 

"Yes,  much  rather.  It's  really  horrible  to 
think  of  a  woman's  wandering  about  these  hills 
alone  at  this  time  of  the  evening." 

Her  whole  face  had  softened.  The  bold  eyes 
regarded  him  almost  shyly. 

"  Stranger,"  she  said,  "  hit's  reel  kynd  o'  yuh  tub 
think  'bout  that." 

With  a  sudden  movement,  she  came  nearer  him. 

"  A'm  sorry  a  spoke  so  tuh  yuh  'oom — yuh  wife. 
A  lay  a  hut  her,  right  smart.  A'm  sorry.  Tell 
her  a'm  sorry.  A'll  mek  Bill  bring  her  a  lot  o1 
fustrate  sang.  She  looks  like  she  needed  some 
sorter  doctor  stuff.  A'm  sorry." 

Gilman  could  not  have  believed  that  he  would 
ever  forgive  her,  but  something  in  the  wild,  wist 
ful  eyes  touched  him. 

"Yes,  I'll  tell  her,1'  he  said,  and  put  out  his 
hand. 

She  touched  it,  half  timidly,  then  stroked  it  with 
her  finger-tips. 

"  Hit's  ez  smooth  ez  sang  root,"  she  said,  finally. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  31 

Then,  lifting  her  eyes  to  his,  "A  likes  yuh." 
Then,  lifting  her  face,  "  Yuh  ken  kiss  me,  ef  yuh 
keers." 

Oilman's  embarrassment  returned  tenfold.  He 
smiled,  and  said  with  an  effort : 

"Do  you  know,  Miss  Tanis,  I  like  to  think  that 
no  man  has  ever  kissed  you — not  even  myself. 
But  Til  kiss  your  hand,  if  I  may."  And  he  lifted 
the  rough,  shapely  fingers  to  his  lips. 

"Somehow,"  she  murmured,  her  lips  working 
nervously — "  somehow  a  feels  like  a  reckon  other 
'oomans  feels  when  they're  a-goin'  tuh  cry.  A 
done  nuvver  'member  cryin'.  Hit  huts  muh 
th'oat."  She  turned  from  him  and  walked 
abruptly  out  into  the  solemn,  evening  atmos 
phere.  The  blackish  violet  of  the  hills  made  a 
sombre  outline  against  a  pale  sky  where,  through 
streamers  of  dim  red,  the  stars  were  beginning  to 
shine.  Xo  words  were  exchanged  between  them 
until  they  reached  Rourke's,  where  a  tall,  slouch 
ing  figure  came  toward  them  from  the  shadow  of 
the  roadside.  Tanis  leaped  out,  and,  taking  her 
brother  by  the  hand,  drew  him  forward. 


32  TANIS,   THE   SANG-DIGGER. 

"Bill,"  she  said,  "a  wants  yuh  tub  thank  that — 
that  gentleman — he  air  a  gentleman,"  she  added, 
quickly,  as  Bill  gave  a  dubious  grunt.  "  He's 
ben  good  tuh  me,  an'  guv  me  all  these  hyuh  duds. 
A  wants  yuh  tuh  look  at  him  good,  caze  a  wants 
yuh  alluz  tuh  stick  tuh  him  ef  uvver  you'ze  by  an' 
he  gits  in  a  tight  hole.  Ken  yuh  see  him  ?  " 

"  Be  yuh  gone  silly,  sis  ?  "  growled  her  brother. 
"A  feller  couldn't  see  th'  Ole  Boy  hisself  this  time 
o'  night,  'thout  he  come  a-blazinV 

The  girl  darted  forward  eagerly. 

"Yuh  got  a  match?"  she  asked,  "caze  ef  yuh 
hev,  scratch  hit,  so's  Bill  ken  see  yuh.  'Tain't 
a-goin'  tuh  hut  nobordy  tuh  hev  a  sang-digger 
fur  &frien\  though  hit  mought  tuh  hev  one  fur  a 
enemy." 

Oilman  reached  mechanically  for  his  cigarette- 
case,  and  lighted  the  fuse. 

The  three  faces  were  painted  against  the  back 
ground  of  gloomy  mountain  by  the  faint,  bluish 
flame. 

The  two  men  looked  each  other  in  the  eyes. 

"  A'll  know  yuh  any whar  now,"  said  the  sang- 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  33 

digger,  finally,  "an1  thank  yuh  fuh  yo'  kyndness 
tub  muh  leetle  gal.  She's  ez  wile  ez  a  hawk,  but 
moughty  good-hearted.  She's  a  good  gal.  Thank 
yuh." 

Oilman  snapped  down  the  lid  of  his  cigarette- 
case,  but  the  sang-digger's  powerful  head,  with 
its  mat  of  dark-red  hair  and  beard,  and  gleaming, 
black  eyes,  seemed  still  to  look  at  him  from  the 
curtain  of  the  twilight. 

<f  Good-night,"  he  said,  taking  up  the  reins. 

'•  Good-night,"  returned  Bill. 

"  Say  '  suh '  tuh  him,"  whispered  the  girl. 

"  Good-night,  suh ! "  called  the  big  fellow, 
obediently. 

And  the  girl's  voice  repeated  like  an  echo  : 

u Good- night,  suh!" 


34  TANIS,  THE  BANG-DIGGER, 


CHAPTER  III. 

rriHE  Warm  Springs  Valley  is  a  long,  fertile 
-••-  trough,  extending  between  two  spurs  of  the 
Alleghany  mountains,  rich  in  various  ores  and  in 
numberless  medicinal  springs,  whose  tepid  waters 
curl  in  clear,  shallow  brooks,  through  field  and  for 
est,  reflecting  the  changeful  sky  with  jewel-like 
effects,  and  bordered  by  rankly-clustering  growths 
of  water-cress.  The  hills  are  steep,  severe  in  out 
line,  perforated  with  caves,  and  covered  by  forests, 
chiefly  of  oak  and  chestnut,  which  have  been  much 
injured  by  frequent  fires. 

The  shrill  tang  of  sheep  and  cow  bells  accentu 
ates  the  silence  overhanging  this  lonely  dale,  varied 
sometimes  by  the  crackling  detonation  of  a  rifle 
far  up  among  the  rocky  heights. 

Its  peace  is  almost  too  solemn  to  be  soothing,  its 
beauty  too  severe  to  bring  with  it  that  sense  of 
closeness  which  possesses  us  in  the  presence  of  rare, 
natural  scenery.  It  has  in  it  something  of  that  chill 
which  emanates  from  a  woman  whose  loveliness  is 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  35 

too  haughty  to  be  magnetic.  One  has  a  sensation 
of  mountains,  piled  up  on  all  sides  in  countless 
ranges,  like  gigantic  walls  which  seem  to  shut  out 
the  world  beyond  and  even  love  itself. 

From  the  top  of  the  Warm  Springs  mountain 
one  can  count  five  or  six  ranges  to  the  northward, 
sweeping  on  and  on,  like  the  petrified  waves  of  a 
once  liquid  and  stormy  sea  of  sapphire. 

It  seems  hallowed  for  the  cradle  of  a  severe  and 
narrow  region.  The  dryads  of  its  trees  one  fancies 
to  be  nuns,  and  the  genii  of  its  caves,  brown-cowled 
monks,  imprisoned  there  for  crimes  long  since  for 
gotten  by  the  far-away  world.  The  Titans,  held 
down  by  these  masses  of  iron  ore  and  sandstone, 
must  have  been  the  rebel  Gods  of  a  Methodistic 
heaven.  The  hot  water,  welling  everywhere  from 
the  fat  loam,  brings  with  it  suggestions  of  that 
fiery  region,  where  the  souls  of  the  unrighteous 
and  unorthodox  are  supposed  to  descend  after 
death. 

The  very  cattle  seem  awed  by  the  vast  impress- 
iveness  about  them.  One  rarely  hears  the  bleating 
of  sheep  or  the  lowing  of  cows.  The  locomotive, 


36  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEB. 

that  arrives  once  a  day  at  the  Hot  Springs  sta 
tion,  does  not  give  vent  to  the  unmannerly  snort- 
ings  and  shriekings  which  distinguish  other  locomo 
tives.  It  comes  and  goes,  with  a  sombre  rumble, 
as  if  its  metallic  soul  were  subdued  within  it  by  the 
general  hush  of  hill  and  valley  and  overhanging 
sky. 

In  spite  of  her  absolute  devotion  to  her  husband, 
Alice  Gilman  could  not  help  being  saddened  by  this 
stern  and  imprisoning  landscape.  The  sound  of 
the  sea,  which  from  childhood  had  lulled  her  in 
moods  of  mental  and  physical  pain,  was  ever  in 
her  ears.  She  felt  a  heart-thirst  for  its  open  radi 
ance,  its  darting  gulls,  its  ships  which  seemed  like 
messages  from  the  lands  that  she  had  never  seen, 
but  of  which  she  had  dreamed  during  many  an 
hour  of  calm  imagining.  The  crowding  mountains 
suffocated  her.  There  was,  for  her,  a  gloom  in  the 
very  sunlight  as  it  rested  drowsily  on  the  fields,  not 
shaken  as  by  the  restlessness  of  the  ocean,  which 
she  so  loved. 

She  was  leaning  on  her  elbow  at  an  open  window 
one  day,  about  two  weeks  after  her  interview  with 


TAXIS,    THE    SAMG-DIGGER.  37 

Tanis,  her  heart  full  of  that  listless  pain  which  is 
born  of  resignation,  when  a  voice  close  by  startled 
her. 

She  looked  up  and  saw  that  Tanis  herself  was 
standing  a  few  feet  off,  leaning  on  a  rough  staff  of 
hickory,  and  regarding  her  with  the  intent  gaze 
which  she  remembered  so  well. 

"  Mawnin',"  said  the  girl;  then  tapping  a  bunch 
of  contorted  roots,  which  hung  at  her  side  : 

"A've  come  tuh  bring  yuh  them,  sang-roots  a 
promised  yuh." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Alice,  nervously,  half  ris 
ing.  Her  face  was  already  flushed,  and  she 
looked  about  her  uneasily.  "Thank  you,"  she 
repeated. 

Tanis   advanced   a   step  nearer. 

"Done  git  skeered,"  she  said,  gravely,  "a 
hain't  a-goin'  tuh  hut  yuh." 

u  Oh  !  no  —  no,  certainly,"  murmured  Alice. 
"I'm  very  much  obliged  to  you.  It's  very  kind 
of  you." 

Tanis  now  came  up  to  the  window  and  laid 
the  roots  on  the  ledge. 


38  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"Yuh  looks  better  by  daylight,"  she  said. 
"That's  funny,  but  yuh  duz.  Yo'  har  cert'n'y 
is  prutty." 

"Do  you  think  so?  It's  very  nice  of  you 
to  tell  me.  You  must  have  walked  a  long  way. 
Won't  you  have  something  to  eat  and  drink?1' 

"  A'll  tell  yuh  pres'n'y,"  answered  the  girl, 
bluntly.  "We'll  see  how  you  and  me  gees,  fust. 
Yo'  rings  air  moughty  prutty,  'S  that  yo' 
weddin'-ring,  all  by  hitse'f  ?" 

"Yes." 

"It's   right   narrer — " 

"Yes,  but  it  will  last,  I  think,"  said  Alice, 
smiling.  Something  in  this  smile  struck  the 
girl. 

"  Yuh  be  reel  weakly,  be  n't  you  ?"  she  asked, 
in  her  softest  voice.  "Hit  lays  on  yo'  mind, 
done  hit?" 

"I'm  not  strong.  It  must  be  wronderful  to 
be  strong  and  healthy,  as  you  are." 

"  Me  ?  I  hain't  nuvver  had  a  day's  sickness 
in  muh  life.  Ain1  that  a  arm  ?"  And,  rolling 
up  her  loose  sleeve,  she  thrust  out  for  Alice's 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG  DIGGER.  39 

inspection  an  arm  as  hard  as  gutta-percha  and 
as  white  as  the  lining  of  a  horse-chestnut  burr. 

"Feel  hit,"  she  urged.  '-Hit's  most  ez  big 
ez  Bill's."  Alice  pressed  it  timidly  with  her 
thin  fingers. 

-My  glory!"  cried  the  girl.  "A'd  be  'fraid 
muh  han's  'ud  brek  off,  ef  a  hed  them  wrisses! 
But  they  certVy  air  prutty,  though.  What 
shiny  nails!  Duz  you  grease  'em?" 

"  No.  I  rub  them  sometimes  with  a  piece  of 
chamois  leather,  but  not  often.  I  don't 
like  them  to  look  greasy,''  and  Alice  observed 
her  delicate  hands  closely,  with  an  air  of  dis 
content. 

"Say,"  cried  Tanis,  suddenly.  "A'll  tell  yuh 
what  a  come  for.  'IVanv  jess  the  sang.  'Twas 
tuh  ax  yuh  suppn'." 

"  To  ask  me  something  ?"  said  Alice,  again 
nervous. 

"Yes.  Be  yuh  wantin'  anybordy  tuh  wuk 
'round  th'  house,  or  yard?  A'm  strong  an' 
healthy,  like  yuh  said.  A'll  wuk  hard  an'  mine 
whut  yuh  tells  me." 


40  TANKS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"I —  I  have  all  the  people  that  I  need,  I 
think,"  stammered  poor  Alice,  "but  I'll  ask  Mr. 
Gilman." 

Tanis  waited  a  moment,  studying  the  pale, 
lovely  face  of  this  woman  who  wore  "city 
duds,"  and  hairpins  in  her  smooth  hair. 

"Whut  yuh  reckon  he'll  seh  ?"  she  asked,  fi 
nally. 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  Alice.  "Won't  you 
come  in  and  rest  ?" 

"A'll  come  in,  sho  'nuff.  But  a  done  know 
what  tired  means.  A  got  on  them  duds  yuh 
guv  me — all  'cep'n  th'  wais'.  Hit  wuz  too  nar- 
rer.  A  could'n'  breathe." 

The  next  moment  she  entered,  looking  down 
rather  apprehensively  at  her  bare  feet. 

"A'm  a-bringin'  in  a  lot  o'  dus',"  she  said. 

u  Oh,  never  mind,"  Alice  answered,  cheerfully, 
determined  to  overcome  her  instinctive  aversion 
to  the  girl. 

"  It's  a  very  easy  carpet  to  sweep.  Shall  I  get 
you  a  glass  of  milk  and  some  biscuits  ?" 

"A    hain't  hongry,    thank    yuh.       'S'that    yc? 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  41 

baby  ?"  pointing  to  a  photograph  on  a  table, 
near  by. 

Alice   flushed. 

"  No — it's  my  sister's.  It's  a  pretty  little  thing 
—isn't  it  ?'' 

"  Eight  prutty.  A've  seen  pruttier.  '  V'you 
got  any  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Alice,  flushing  still  more  deeply. 

"  Ben  ma'h'ed  long  ?" 

Alice's  eyes  began  to  move  restlessly  from  door 
to  door. 

"I've  been  married  two  years,"  she  said. 

"  An'  yuh  ain'  got  a  baby  ?  Done  yuh  husbun' 
take  on  'bout  hit  ?" 

"  My  husband  is  all  that  I  could  wish,"  replied 
Alice,  haughty,  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  Well,  done  git  mad,"  said  the  girl,  calmly. 
"  A  didn'  mean  nothin'.  Mos'  mens  gives  they 
'oomans  fits,  ef  a  baby  done  come  'long  inside  a 
yeah.  Hit  beats  me,  too,  caze  mos'ly  they's  pizen 
mean  tuh  'em,  arter  they  gits  'em.  A  knowed  a 
man — Dick  Senster.  He  had  a  drunk  on,  an'  he 
got  mad  at  his  little  gal  an'  roasted  her  foots  at 


42  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

th'  fire  an'  then  kilt  her.  They  lynched  him — 
they  did,  an'  sarve  him  right.  That's  true. 
D'yuh  b'leeve  hit?" 

"  Oh,  how  horrible,"  murmured  Alice,  faintly. 
"  Do  such  things  really  happen  about  here  ?" 

"These  hyuh  hills  hain'  no  Sunday-schools," 
was  the  sententious  reply,  "  but  they  bee'n't  many 
o'  th'  boys  ez  bad  ez  Dick  wuz.  They'll  be 
moughty  mad  at  me,  though,  f  uh  comin'  hyuh  tuh 
git  work.  But  Bill,  he  wuz  glad.  We  bee'n't 
like  th'  others,  Bill  an'  me  bee'n't.  Our  Ma  wuz 
mortal  silly,  but  she  war  good.  She  wa'n't  a  sang- 
digger,  an'  Pap,  he  didn'  tun  sang-digger  twell 
arter  he  got  so  bu'nt  up  wi'  whisky  he  couldn' 
shoe  hawses.  A  hain'  newer  cyar'd  on  wi'  th' 
boys.  Fust  place,  Bill  'ud  a  kilt  me — seckint 
place,  a  hates  mens,  all  cep'n  Bill.  A  hates  low 
talk,  an'  a  hates  low  doin's.  Wan'  me  tuh  tell 
yuh  supp'n  ?  Well,  a  come  down  hyuh  to  see 
how  hit  feels  tuh  be  wi'  decent  folkses.  A  reckon 
hit'll  war  me  out,  arter  a  while,  but  a'm  a-goin' 
tuh  try  hit,  ef  yuh'li  lemme." 

Alice  had  an  almost    morbid    sense   of    duty 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  43 

toward  every  creature  that  crossed  her  path.  She 
held  out  her  slender  hand,  and  said,  quickly: 

"Let  me  be  your  friend.  You  can  help  the 
cook,  and  I'll  teach  you  to  sew." 

Tanis  looked  at  her,  with  a  touch  of  the  old 
suspiciousness. 

"  Yuh  tuns  'bout  right  quick,  doncher  now  ?'' 
she  said,  dryly.  "  Thought  yuh  hed  to  wait  tuh 
ax  yuh  man — yuh  husbun',  a  mean  ?" 

"  I'll  have  to  do  that,  too,  of  course,"  replied 
Alice,  controlling  her  indignation  and  still  holding 
out  her  hand,  "but  we  generally  agree." 

Tanis  took  the  slim  fingers  gingerly  into  her 
own. 

"A  reckon  yuh're  right  spiled,"  she  said, 
slowly.  "  A  reckons  he  does  whut  yuh  wants, 
prutty  puncshul.  Yuh're  the  kynd  men  spiles, 
though.  A  feels  like  sorter  nussin'  yuh  up 
muhse'f.  Yuh  puts  me  in  mine  uv  a  squrl  a  hed 
onct,  wi'  a  broken  foot.  A  could  lif  yuh  'bout 
like  a  baby.  Say,  yuh  done  like  me  fur  nuthiri — 
does  yuh  now  ?"  she  ended,  explosively. 

"  Oh,  no — no,  indeed  !''  cried  Alice,  more  crim- 


44  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK. 

son  than  ever.  "  I  mean  I  have  only  the  kindest 
feelings  for  you.  Why  should  you  say  such  a 
thing?" 

"  Kin  see  hit  in  yo1  eyes,"  said  the  girl,  briefly. 
"  But  nemmine,  a  reckons  a'll  suit  yuh.  A'm 
nach'lly  clean.  Doncher  come  down  on  me  too 
hard  at  fust,  though.  A've  got  a  temper." 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  45 


CHAPTER    IV. 

E  people  of  the  neighborhood  were  loud  in 
their  ejaculations  of  horror  and  condemna 
tion  when  they  heard  that  Mrs.  Gilman  had  taken 
a  "snake"  to  help  her  in  general  housework.  Tanis, 
however,  proved  that  she  was  thorough  and  willing 
in  her  work,  and,  during  an  illness  of  the  cook,  took 
her  place  to  Alice's  entire  satisfaction.  She  now 
wore  a  plain,  but  well-fitting  gown  of  dark  gray 
stuff,  her  hair  was  braided  and  coiled  at  the  back 
of  her  handsome  head,  her  shoes  of  stout  cowhide 
were  neat  and  fitted  her,  and  her  round  ankles  were 
covered  with  stockings  of  dark  gray  yarn.  She 
would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  the  people 
about  the  Hot  Springs,  and  was,  as  a  rule,  rather 
silent. 

One  day  Gilman  approached  her  as  she  was 
crossing  the  backyard,  on  her  way  from  the  cow- 
pen,  her  strong  figure  swayed  to  one  side  by  the 
heavy  pail  of  milk  which  swung  from  her  reddened 
hand.  She  stopped  and  looked  at  him  questioningly. 


46  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

'•  I'd  like  to  talk  to  you  a  few  moments,''  he  ex 
plained.  "  I've  been  wanting  to  say  something  to 
you  for  several  days." 

"Well?11  she  answered. 

"  We're  afraid — Mrs.  Oilman  and  I — that  you're 
lonely  here,"  he  went  on.  "  Haven't  you  made  any 
friends  in  the  neighborhood  that  you'd  like  to  see 
sometimes  ?  " 

"  Nuck,"  she  replied  at  once,  with  her  usual 
brevity.  *  They's  mostly  pizen  fools  ez  lives  'bout 
these  parts.  You'd  take  a  sang-digger  fuh  Presi 
dent  'longsider  'em." 

"  But  you  must  be  very  lonely  in  the  evenings." 

"  Naw,  a  been't,  nuther.  A'm  larnin'  that  thar 
punch-wuk  Mis1  Gilman  showed  me  howter  do." 

"  Then  we  both  think  you  work  too  hard." 

She  began  to  look  obstinate. 

"  Reckon  a  knows  how  much  a  ken  wuk  and  how 
much  a  cyarn't,  t'hout  other  folks  hevin'  tuh  tell 
me.  Reckon  yuh'd  better  lemme  tend  tuh  my 
wuk  an'  you  tend  to  yo'n" 

"But,  my  child,  you're  thinner  than  you  were. 
Really,  we  can't  let  you  overwork  yourself." 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  47 

"A  hain't  yo'  chile,  'n*  a  hain't  thunner,  V  a 
hain't  overwuken  muhse'f.'' 

"We're  afraid  that  you're  unhappy,  and  won't 
say  so  for  fear  of  annoying  us." 

"Naw,  a  hain't,  nuther.  A'd  gnaw  yuh  swif 
enough  ef  a  hed  any  call  tuh.  Don'  chu  all  bother 
'bout  me.  A'm  all  right.'' 

Two  hours  later,  however,  as  she  was  chopping 
some  lightwood  for  Alice's  bedroom  fire,  the  supply 
having  suddenly  given  out,  and  there  being  no  one 
else  to  do  it,  her  name,  uttered  softly  in  a  man's 
voice,  caused  her  to  pause,  axe  in  air,  her  face  going 
from  white  to  red,  from  red  to  white. 

"Tanis!  Tanis,  muh  prutty!"  called  the  rich, 
pleasant  voice  again. 

She  faced  about,  her  arms  tense,  the  axe  still 
held  above  her  head. 

"Sam  Rose!"  she  said,  in  a  stifled,  throaty  voice. 
•'  By  th'  Lawd  above,  a've  a  good  min'  tuh  fling 
this  hyuh  axe  stret  at  yo'  head!" 

"Fling  hit,  muh  honey,"  he  whispered  back, 
smiling.  "  Put  me  outer  torment,  an'  a'll  thank 
yuh  fuh  hit." 


48  TANIS,    THE   SANG-DIGGER. 

She  lowered  the  axe  slowly,  trembling  as  she 
did  so.  Her  face  grew  whiter,  her  eyes  fixed 
themselves  upon  his.  Then  she  began  to  walk, 
hesitatingly,  step  by  step,  toward  him.  When  she 
reached  the  fence,  upon  which  he  was  leaning,  he 
jumped  over,  and  caught  her  in  his  arms.  She 
stood  there  for  a  moment,  without  expression  or 
movement,  but,  as  he  began  to  bend  her  head 
backward  and  reach  his  lips  to  hers,  she  flung  him 
from  her,  so  that,  giant  as  he  was,  lie  staggered, 
and  caught  at  the  fence  for  support. 

"  Oh,  yuh  blackguard,  yuh !  Yuh  low-down 
blackguard,  tuh  try  tuh  hut  me  wi' t  these  hyuh 
folks  ez  is  so  good  tuh  me  !  Some  day  a'll  tell 
Bill  on  yuh,  an'  he'll  cut  yo'  heart  out !" 

She  stood  panting  and  staring,  but  he  did  not 
attempt  to  touch  her  again.  No,  he  smiled,  show 
ing  white  teeth,  regular  and  animal  as  a  dog's, 
and  began  to  pull  at  his  short,  blond  beard, 
which  gave  him  the  air  of  a  young  Zeus.  It  was, 
indeed,  astounding  how  complete  a  Greek  the 
fellow  looked,  in  his  ragged  flannel  shirt  and 
rough  cowhide  boots.  He  must  have  stood  at 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  49 

least  six  feet  live  in  his  stockings.  His  nose  and 
forehead  were  as  Phidian  as  anything  in  the  Vati 
can  ;  his  eyes  a  laughing,  dazzling,  shallow,  for 
get-me-not  blue,  his  hair  and  beard  a  bright,  crisp 
gold.  He  ended  by  laughing,  and  said,  in  reply 
to  her  last  statement  regarding  his  heart  : 

"  Ef  he  doez,  he'll  hev  tuh  make  a  hole  in  yo' 
breast,  fuh  that's  whar  'tiz,  beauty,  sho  !" 

She  stood  quite  still,  her  body  bent  back,  her 
hand  extended  in  front  of  her,  and  tensely 
clenched. 

"  Hain't  yuh  larned  yo'  lesson  yit  ?*'  she  said,  in 
a  low  voice.  "  Hain't  yuh  got  no  pride  ?  Hain't 
yuh  got  nothin'  of  th'  man  'bout  yuh,  but  yuh 
strongness  ?  A  didn'  know  even  a  bawn  sang- 
digger  cud  git  so  low  ez  tuh  be  alluz  a  pesterin'  of 
a  gal  ez  hev  tole  him  over  a  million  times  how  she 
hates  him  !" 

Again  he  smiled. 

%<  Yuh  done  hate  me,  honey.  Aw  no,  'aw  no,'' 
he  murmured,  still  smiling,  and  carding  out  his 
beard  with  his  great  fingers.  "  Yuh  loves  me,  a 
tells  yuh.  Hit's  like  break-bone  fever,  love  is,  'n't 


50  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

goes  harder  wi'  some  'n  wi'  others.  Hit's  upsotted 
yo'  brain,  rauh  prutty,  that's  all.  Come  hyuh  an' 
lemme  show  yuh  how  yuh  loves  me." 

He  made  a  step  toward  her,  stretching  out  his 
arms,  but  she  darted  back,  with  a  fierce  gesture, 
and  picked  up  the  fallen  axe. 

"  Ef  yuh  touch  me  agin,  a  swar  a'll  kill  yuh," 
she  panted;  but  he  only  gave  another  of  his  musi 
cal  bass  laughs. 

"  By  Gawd,  yuh  looks  prutty  when  yuh're  mad, 
honey!  A  hain't  nuvver  hed  sech  a  thust  on  me 
furrer  gal  sence  a  cud  tell  sang  from  pizen-oak;" 
then,  with  a  sudden  change  of  tone,  "  drop  that 
axe — drop  hit,  a  tell  yuh  !" 

She  grasped  it  all  the  tighter,  and  gazed  at  him 
defiantly,  but,  little  by  little,  her  fingers  loosened 
from  about  the  haft,  her  eyes  began  to  waver,  her 
face  grew  pale  and  set ;  she  let  the  axe  fall  at  her 
side. 

"A  clar  tuh  grahus,  yuh'd  make  a  meek,  ^bejent 
little  'oman,  yuh  would,"  he  said,  resuming  his 
lazy,  half-sneering  tone  of  good  humor.  "  AVe  a 
mind  tuh  mek  yuh  kiss  me,  fo'  th'  Lawd,  a  hev. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  51 

Doncher  wanter  beah  a  song  a  made  up  'bout  yuh, 
larst  night  ?" 

Leaning  carelessly  against  the  fence  and  keep 
ing  his  eyes  upon  hers,  he  began  to  drone  out,  in  a 
soft,  glutinous  bass,  the  following  ditty: 

"  Her  ha'r  'tis  like  th'  sumac, 

Her  eyes  is  bluer'n  ice, 
Her  mouth's  like  partridge  berries, 
Oh,  would'n'  hit  tase  nice  ! 

My  Lawd  I 
But  would'n'  hit  tase  nice  I 

"  Her  ankles  is  keen  an'  swif  ez  a  deer's, 

She  moves  like  a  pine  in  th'  win', 
But  ef  yuh  tried  tuh  hug  her,  boys, 
She'd  cuss  yuh  quicker'n  sin — 
She  would— 
She'd  jaw  yuh  wuss'n  sin." 

He  was  beginning  on  another  verse  of  this  primi 
tive  doggerel,  when  Tanis,  as  it  were,  wrenched 
her  eyes  from  his,  and  scudded  into  the  house,  be 
fore  he  could  remonstrate  with  or  stop  her. 

He  only  laughed,  as  usual,  however,  and  taking 
a  short  pipe  from  his  pocket,  began  to  press  down 


52  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

the  shreds  of  tobacco  into  its  bowl  with  one  broad, 
yet  handsome  thumb. 

"  A'll  hev  her  yit !"  he  said,  addressing  his  pipe, 
gravely,  before  putting  it  between  his  teeth.  "A'll 
hev  her  yit,  or  bust !  " 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  53 

CHAPTER  V. 

"TpARLY  that  evening,  as  Alice  was  half  dozing 
:-*~^  on  her  sofa,  near  the  fire,  she  heard  a  door 
open  softly,  and  Tanis  came  in,  on  tiptoe. 

"  I'm  awake,''  said  Alice.  "  Do  you  want  any 
thing  ?" 

"Ef  yuh  been't  too  tired,"  admitted  the  girl, 
hesitatingly. 

She  came  over  and  stood  before  the  fire,  for  a 
moment,  and  then  asked  abruptly: 

"  Ken  a  sot  down  on  th'  nV  ?  A've  a  heap  o' 
things  on  muh  mine.  A  lay  yuh're  a  moughty 
good  'ooman.  A  reckon  yuh  ken  he'p  me." 

"  I'll  do  all  in  my  power,  I  promise  you,"  said 
Alice,  cordially.  She  was  beginning  to  like  Tanis. 

"  An1  yuh  wone  think  a  mean  tuh  sass  yuh,  ef  a 
ax  yuh  some  right  pinted  questions  ?''  inquired  the 
girl,  wistfully. 

"  No — certainly  not,"  said  Alice,  a  little  appre 
hensive,  but  determined  to  be  kind. 

There  was  silence,  for  quite  a  long  time.  Then 
Tanis  remarked  that  the  fire  was  "  treading  snow." 


54  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?"  asked  Alice. 

"Hit  means  we're  goin'  to  hev  bad  weather — 
snow,  mos'  likely." 

Alice  shivered,  and  drew  her  fur  coverlet  higher. 

"  Oh  !  I'm  sorry,"  she  said.  "  I  thought  that 
summer  was  almost  here." 

"This  hyuh's  a  ondependable  climick.  Yuh 
cyarn'  nuvver  tell  whut  day  arter  tuhmorrer's 
goin'  to  be.  Say — "  she  broke  off,  still  staring 
deeply  into  the  flapping  blaze,  "  say — one  thing  a 
wants  tuh  ax  yuh  is  'bout  love.  Yuh'se  seen  a 
heap  o'  life,  'n'  yuh'se  a  lady — whut  is  love,  any 
how  ?  " 

"  What  is  love  ?"  repeated  Alice.  "Why,  that 
is  about  the  hardest  question  in  the  world  to 
answer  !  People  are  always  asking  it,  and  the 
answers  never  seem  to  satisfy  them.  Different 
people  love  so  differently." 

"  But  when  a  'ooman  loves  a  man,  an'  a  man 
loves  a  'ooman,  that's  mos'ly  th'  same,  hain't  hit?" 

"Ah!  no,"  said  Alice,  dreamily.  "That  love 
varies  more  than  any  other.  What  I  call  love, 
some  one  else  might  not  think  love  at  all." 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  55 

"Well,  what  does  you  call  love?"  asked  the 
girl,  eagerly. 

"  I  hardly  know  how  to  put  it  into  words.  It  is 
something  deep,  still,  strong.  Something  that 
draws  you  higher — that  leaves  you  with  sweet, 
happy  thoughts,  which  you  almost  grudge  sharing 
with  your  own  heart.  It  is  rest,  contentment, 
fulfilment,  satisfaction  —  a  reality  that  comes 
after  many  dreams — dreams  that  have  perhaps 
been  brighter,  more  vivid,  but  not  half  so 
beautiful." 

"  Ud  that  sorter  love  mek  yuh  ache  tuh  let  a 
man  kiss  yuh,  an'  yit  feel  like  yuh'd  kill  him  ef  he 
did  ?" 

"  Oh,  no  !  that's  dreadful,"  said  the  other, 
quickly. 

"  Ud  hit  mek  yuh  think  'bout  a  man,  an'  honger 
arter  him,  day  'n'  night,  an'  yit  long  to  git  away 
f urn  him  th'  minnit  yuh  seed  him  ?" 

"  No — no  !  how  can  you  ask  ?" 

"  'T'wouldn'  mek  yuh  think  sometimes  like 
p'raps  sin  wi'  him  'ud  be  better  nor  goodness  'thout 
'im— ud  hit  ?" 


56  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Never  !  That  isn't  love.  Love  is  goodness. 
Love  is — " 

"  Well,  nemmine  'bout  whut  love  is  now  ;  jess 
tell  me,  ef  yuh  ken,  whut  that  other  thing  is,  caze 
thet's  whut's  a-wearin'  me  out,  body  ;n'  soul." 

Alice  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  said,  slowly: 

"That  is — is  fascination,  infatuation." 

"  A  done  know  them  wuds,"  put  in  Tanis,  with 
disappointed  bluntness.  "  Cyar'n'  yuh  mek  hit 
plainer  ?" 

"  I  will  try.  To  fascinate  anybody  is  to  have  a 
sort  of  power  over  them ;  against  their  judgment 
— their  reason.  You've  heard  of  a  snake  charming 
a  bird,  haven't  you  ?" 

The  girl  started  to  her  knees. 

"  A've  seed  hit !"  she  cried.  "  A've  seed  hit 
muhse'f.  Hit  air  like  that,  sho'  'nuff  !" 

She  sank  back  again,  fixing  her  large,  glowing 
eyes  upon  Alice. 

"  Then  that  thar  whut  a  tole  yuh  been't  love  ?" 
she  asked,  under  her  breath. 

"  No,  never  !" 

u  But  why   do  hit  mek  yo'  heart  pain  yuh  so  ? 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  57 

Why  does  yuh  be  alluz  \vukin'  on  that  man,  in  yo' 
mine  ?  alluz,  alluz,  aHuz,  day-time  an'  night-time  ? 
Why  ken  yuh  seem  tuh  feel  him  sometimes  a 
holdin'  uv  yuh,  an'  a  kissin'  yuh,  an'  hyuh  his  voice 
in  yo'  yeuh,  like  he  wuz  right  by  yuh,  an'  he 
mebbe  thirty  mile  away  ?  Why  ken  yuh  see  his 
eyes  a  lookin'  at  yuh,  so  bright,  outer  th'  dark  ? 
Gals  ez  hev  been  in  love  hev  tole  me  they  hed  them 
feelin's.  Why  be  it  love  wi'  them,  an'  not  love  wi' 
— wi'  somebordy  else  ?" 

"  I  can't  explain,  exactly,"  answered  Alice,  '» but 
perhaps  a  good  woman  might  be  fascinated,  in 
spite  of  herself,  by  a  bad  man.  Then  she  might 
have  some  such  feelings.'' 

"  Oh,  he  air  a  bad  man  !"  cried  Tanis,  passion 
ately.  UA  know'd  three  gals  he  ruined.  They 
warn't  bad  gals,  nuther.  They  warn't  sang- 
diggers.  They  war  jess  plain  mountain-people, 
but  they  war  hones'  gals  till  he  met  'em.  One  uv 
'em  drownded  herse'f,  an'  they  ole  Grandad  druv 
th'  other  two  away  tuh  th'  city.  Po'  things  !  A 
reckon  they  be  low  'nuff  by  this  time.  A  reckon 
God'll  mek  hit  right  hot  fuh  thet  ole  scalliwag  uv 


58  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

a  Grandad  o'  them  !  Dontclm  ?  They  war  all 
three  frien's.  A  seen  Mag,  arter  she  was  drownded. 
A  cyarn't  nuvver  git  her  face  outer  muh  mine." 
She  stopped,  shuddering  heavily,  and,  pressing  her 
eyes  with  her  hands,  a  sob  broke  from  her. 

"  Tanis,"  whispered  Alice,  her  hand  caressing 
the  bent  head.  "  Tanis,  dear  child,"  she  repeated 
softly,  "  I  wish  I  could  comfort  you — I  wish  I 
could  help  you.  I  know  what  heart- pain  is  ;  I  have 
had  it,  too." 

Tanis's  first  instinct  was  one  of  savage  resent 
ment,  but,  looking  up,  she  met  those  soft,  gray 
eyes,  full  of  tears.  Her  strong  brows  quivered, 
and  the  next  minute  she  was  sobbing,  with  her 
head  against  Alice's  knees.  She  did  not  say  any 
thing  more,  however,  and  Alice  asked  no  ques 
tions,  but  from  that  hour  the  girl  showed  a  rough, 
curious  sort  of  affection  for  her,  which  displayed 
itself,  sometimes  humorously  enough,  in  an  out 
burst  of  jealousy  against  Gilman. 

"  A  cud  cy'ar  yuh  upstars  ez  good  ez  he  cud," 
she  would  protest;  "an'  he  wone  nuvver  lemme 
tech  yuh.  Folks  ud  think  a  wuz  pizen!  " 


TAN  IS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  59 

But,  in  spite  of  her  irritability  on  this  point  she 
had  also  a  sincere  devotion  for  Gilman  himself. 

"  'Pears  tuh  me,"  she  observed  one  day  to  Alice, 
"  yo'  husbun'  certVy  do  tek  arter  th'  Lawd.  A 
done  blame  yuh  fuh  harf  wusshuppin'  him.  A'd 
blame  yuh  a  darn  sight  mo'  ef  yuh  did'nV 


60  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TT  was  about  four  o'clock  one  Sunday  after- 
-*-  noon  that  Tanis  went  for  a  scramble  on  the 
Warm  Springs  Mountain. 

The  soft  air  was  perfumed  with  May,  the  dusky 
hills  powdered  with  the  varying  green  of  young 
leaves.  Between  them  the  valley  coiled,  like  some 
emerald-skinned  python,  absorbing  the  slant  sun 
light.  She  reached  a  fence  which  ran  along  one  of 
the  steepest  flanks  of  the  mountain,  almost  directly 
opposite  to  the  Hot  Springs,  and,  noting  a  group  of 
oaks  and  chestnuts,  thought  that  it  would  be  a 
pleasant  place  to  rest  for  awhile,  and  practice  upon 
what  she  now  termed  "  thet  thar  cussed  punch- 
wuk."  Climbing  over,  she  went  toward  the  trees, 
and  then  stopped  short,  with  a  look  of  astonish 
ment  and  distaste.  For,  between  the  gnarled  roots 
gaped  a  jagged  hole,  some  eight  feet  in  diameter, 
and  descending,  apparently,  into  the  bowels  of  the 
earth.  She  clutched  one  of  the  oaks  firmly,  and 
swung  her  head  and  shoulders  over  the  opening. 


TAN  IS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK.  0  I 

Its  black  wedge  split  the  ground  below  her,  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  see.  Juts  of  sandstone  roughened 
its  sides,  and  it  was  shaped  like  a  huge  funnel. 
The  girl  continued  to  hang  over  it,  fascinated. 
Extending  one  hand  cautiously,  she  lifted  a  loose 
stone  and  flung  it  in.  It  bounded  from  wall  to 
wall,  with  a  sharp  noise  which  grew  ever  less,  as  it 
descended  deeper  into  the  cavern,  until  at  last  she 
could  no  longer  hear  anything. 

"  My!  But  thet  u'd  be  a  nice  place  ttih  stumble 
inter  to'ds  dark,"  she  said  to  herself,  smiling,  but 
with  rather  pale  lips.  "A  allus  did  hate  them  thar 
caves,  anyhow,  an'  a  cave  a-standin'  on  hit's  head's 
a  right  cuss'd-lookin'  thing.  A  wonders  whar  hit 
goes  tuh  ?  " 

As  she  uttered  the  last  words  she  felt  strong 
hands  grip  her  about  the  waist,  and  then,  tearing 
her  from  the  tree,  as  though  she  had  been  a  squir 
rel,  they  held  her  out  above  the  ugly  chasm. 

She  turned  white,  but  did  not  utter  a  sound. 

"  Wanter  go  find  out  ?  "  asked  the  sweet,  mock 
ing  voice  that  she  so  dreaded.  Still  she  said  noth 
ing.  He  gave  her  a  little  shake,  as  he  held  her, 


62  TANIS,    THE    SANG-D1GGER. 

and  her  ball  of  white  crochet-cotton  was  shaken 
from  her  apron  pocket  and  fell,  reeling  out,  yard 
upon  yard,  until  at  last  the  thread  was  stopped  by 
a  snarl,  and  her  work  itself  was  drawn  slowly  forth 
and  fell  after  the  ball. 

"  Promise  tuh  kiss  me,  an'  a'll  let  yuh  go  !  "  he 
demanded. 

She  was  silent. 

"  Wone  yuh  promise  ?  " 

"  Naw,"  she  said,  deliberately. 

"  S'posin'  a  drops  yuh  inter  thet  thar  hole,  ef 
yuh  don't  ?  " 

"  Yuh  kin  drop  me  inter  hell,  but  a  wone  kiss 
yuh.  Drop  away,  an'  be  darned  tuh  yuh,  yuh 
coward ! " 

He  gave  a  laugh  and  a  whistle  together  and  set 
her  upon  firm  ground,  still  keeping  one  hand  on 
her  shoulder,  however. 

She  was  trembling,  but  more  from  rage  than 
fright. 

"  Now,  hain't  yuh  a  wild-cat  ?"  he  asked,  taunt 
ingly.  "  D'yuh  know  yuh're  th'  fust  gal  ez  ain' 
flewed  tuh  me  when  a  axed  her  f urrer  kiss  ?" 


TA:NIS,  THE  SANG-DIGGER.  63 

Tanis  looked  at  him,  contemptuously. 

"  Yes,  'n'  much  luck  hit  brought  em,  th'  po' 
fools!" 

He  shook  her  slightly  again. 

"  Darn  my  hide,"  he  exclaimed,  "  but  you're  a 
natchul  cu'yosity,  same  ez  the  Natchul  Bridge. 
Why  !  Tarnation,  honey  !  What's  outer  fix  wi' 
muh  mouth  ?  Ain't  a  got  nice  teeth  ?  What  yuh 
got  agin'  kissin'  me  ?  Ef  a  had  tushes,  like 
Tommy  Mings,  orrer  hause-tail  furrer  mustash, 
like  lame  Joe,  yuh  mought  fuss,  but  blame  me  ef 
a  ken  mek  out  whutcher  balks  so  at.  Say,"  he 
went  on,  changing  his  tone,  as  he  saw  that  this 
style  of  appeal  was  not  having  a  happy  effect 
upon  her,  "  say,  honey-gal,  a  loves  yuh,  fo'  Gawd 
a  loves  yuh  !  Doncher  know  a  cud  hole  yuh  an' 
tek  a  kiss  anytime  a'd  a  mine  tuh  ?" 

"Well,  why  doncher?"  she  asked,  eyeing  him 
dangerously. 

He  looked  down  at  her  with  an  air  of  calm 
meditation. 

"Caze,"  he  replied,  slowly,  ua  reckon  yuh'll 
think  a'm  a  all-fired  liar,  but  th'  truth  be  this:  a 


64  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

wants  yuh  tub  kiss  me  uv  yuh  own  free  will,  an' 
a'll  mek  yuh  do  hit,  too,  some  day  !" 

"  A'll  cut  muh  th'oat  fust !"  she  cried,  with  pas 
sion. 

"An'  yet,  honey,"  he  went  on,  placidly,  "yuh 
loves  me.  A  nuvver  made  a  slip-up  in  all  muh 
life  bout  a  gal's  lovin'  me.  A  knows  yuh  loves 
me,  but  why  yuh  be  suh  darned  stan'-off  wi'  me, 
well,  t'ud  tek  th'  ole  Scratch  hisse'f  tuh  settle  thet 
thar.  An'  yuh  hain't  'feard  o'  me,  nuther,"  he 
added.  "  Yuh  ain'  no  mo'  'feared  o'  me  'an  ef  a 
wuz  a  lame  hopper-grass.  But  a  been't,  a  tell 
yuh  !"  with  sudden  fierceness,  "  a'm  a  man,  an'  a 
strong  man,  an'  a  loves  yuh  !" 

He  caught  her  to  him,  his  face  in  a  blaze,  and 
then  gave  a  sharp  bark  of  pain,  as  her  teeth  met 
in  the  back  of  his  hand. 

"Damn  yuh,  furrer  cole'-livered  devil!"  he  cried, 
shaking  his  bloody  hand,  and  then,  under  a  sudden 
inspiration,  flung  himself  upon  the  ground  and 
buried  his  face  on  his  outstretched  arm.  Tanis 
stood  staring  down  at  him.  He  had  taken  good 
care  that  his  wounded  hand  should  be  in  full 


TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGEK.  65 

view,  and  the  girl's  eyes  fixed  themselves,  in 
horror,  on  the  scarlet  oval  left  by  her  strong 
teeth. 

"  A'm  sorry,"  she  muttered,  after  awhile,  as  he 
continued  prone  and  motionless.  "  A'm  sorry, 
Sam,"  she  said  again. 

The  blood,  that  continued  to  well  over  the  back 
of  his  hand,  made  her  faint.  She  stooped  down, 
and,  tearing  off  one  of  her  apron-strings,  began  to 
bandage  the  wound.  But  he  jerked  away  his 
hand,  giving  a  smothered  moan  as  he  did  so. 

"  Ain'  yuh  hyuh  me  seh  a  wuz  sorry  ?'?  she 
asked,  her  voice  trembling.  "  A  did'n'  mean  tuh 
ack  like  a  brute  beas\  A  'clare,  fo'  Gawd,  a 
did'n',  but  seems  like  yuh  sots  me  crazy.  A  done 
know,  harf  th'  time,  whut  a'm  a-doin'  when  yuh 
'gins  tuh  pester  me." 

Sam  moaned  again. 

'•Lemme  wrop  up  yo'  han',"  she  urged;  "do, 
now,  Sam.  A  'am'  got  no  grudge  'gin  yuh, 
'cep'in'  a  knows  yuh'se  bad,  an'  a  hain't  a-goin' 
tuh  keep  comp'ny  wi'  no  man  ez  is  reel  bad.  A 
swar  a  hain't — a  done  keer  ef  hit  kills  me!" 


66  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

Again  he  moaned,  but  this  time  consented  to 
let  her  take  his  hand  and  wrap  it  up. 

The  western  sun  was  dashing  the  floor  of  the 
forest  with  pools  of  amber  and  crimson.  As  she 
tied  the  last  knot,  she  said,  in  an  almost  inaud 
ible  voice  : 

"A  wisht  yuh  wuz  a  good  feller,  Sam." 

"  Why,  honey?"  he  whispered. 

"A  dunno.      A   wishes   hit,  though." 

"  Ud   yuh   keer   f uh   me   ef  a  wuz  gooder?" 

UA  dunno,  but  oh!  a  wishes   yuh   wuz." 

"  Look  at  me,  honey.  Lawd,  Lawd,  what 
eyes!  Seems  like  a  kin  feel  muhse'f  a-sinkin'  in 
'em,  like  they  wuz  water.  Is  muh  eyes  a-look- 
in'  love  at  yuh,  muh  prutty  ? " 

"A  dunno — a  cyarn't  he'p  lookin'  at  'em,  some 
how."  Her  pupils  began  to  dilate,  and  she 
breathed  quickly. 

"Yo  eyes  be  the  color  o'  cresses  onder  run- 
nin'  water,"  he  said.  "  What  be  the  color  o' 
mine  ?" 

"Yo'n?"  she  asked,  stammering.  "A — a  dun- 
no,  a  cyarn't  see  em  good,  a  cyarn't.  Oh!" 


TANIS,    THE    SAXG-.niGGER.  67 

She  drew  a  long,  shivering  sigh.  Their  mouths 
seemed  growing  into  one.  She  had  never  been 
kissed  before,  and,  in  spite  of  her  protestations 
and  honest  avowals  to  the  contrary,  she  loved 
him  ;  in  spite  of  all  the  evil  that  she  knew 
about  him  ;  in  spite  of  his  wicked  deeds,  his 
cool  cruelty,  his  calm,  maddening  vanity  in  re 
gard  to  her  feeling  for  him,  she  loved  him. 
But  when,  at  last,  he  threw  back  his  head,  and 
took  the  chill  evening  air  deep  into  his  nos 
trils,  like  a  stag  that  has  just  drunk  from  a 
mountain  stream,  she  started  back,  a  look  of 
shame  and  regret  contorting  all  her  face; 
then,  without  a  word,  turned  and  ran  from 
him  as  swiftly  as  her  nimble  feet  could  carry 
her. 

He  did  not  attempt  to  follow,  but  leaned 
watching  her,  with  the  drowsy  air  of  one  half 
intoxicated.  After  awhile  he  lifted  his  bitten 
hand,  and,  pushing  aside  the  bandage,  fastened 
his  lips  on  the  marks  of  those  vicious  little 
teeth. 


68  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  BOUT  nine  o'clock  that  evening  Tanis 
•*--*-  went  to  the  window  and  looked  out. 
From  a  sky  of  cold,  black-blue,  an  icy  moon  was 
staring,  blurred  now  and  then  by  scudding  wisps 
of  cloud,  and  a  low,  rattling  sound  rose  and 
fell  in  the  bare  apple  orchard,  for  the  wind  was 
beginning  to  shake  his  frozen  wings.  A  knot 
of  snow-drops,  near  the  door,  looked  as  cold  and 
bright  as  though  cut  out  of  silver. 

Tanis  unhooked  a  brown  cloak  which  hung 
behind  the  kitchen  door,  and,  throwing  it  about 
her,  drew  on  a  pair  of  leather  mittens.  The 
cloak  had  a  loose  hood,  which  she  pulled  over 
her  head.  Then,  covering  the  bed  of  live  coals 
on  the  hearth  with  ashes,  she  took  her  hick 
ory  staff  in  her  hand,  and,  unlatching  the 
door,  stepped  out  into  the  waking  gale. 

About  her  were  steep  fields,  showing  a  dull 
grayish  green  in  the  icy  glare,  rough  with 
small  stones  and  masses  of  lichen-covered  rock. 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  69 

The  very  sheep  looked  stonelike,  as  they  lay, 
huddled  in  little  knots,  on  the  close-cropped 
turf.  High  above,  on  all  sides,  the  sharp- 
toothed  combs  of  the  mountain  striped  the 
pale  air  as  with  steel.  Their  shadows  slept 
beside  the  jagged  boulders,  like  pools  of  frozen 
ink.  The  stunted  oak  trees,  crowding  about 
them,  seemed  to  bristle  as  with  iron  ribs,  and, 
as  the  girl  looked  upward,  she  fancied  that 
the  heavens  resembled  the  roof  of  some  vast 
cave,  studded  with  starry  icicles. 

Her  way  led  her  next,  for  half  a  mile,  along 
the  highroad,  and  as  she  climbed  the  long 
slope  known  as  "  Cave  Hill,"  she  remembered 
the  actual  cave,  on  lier  right,  in  which  a 
skeleton  was  said  to  have  been  found,  and 
even  gazed  about  her  feverishly,  for  the  tree 
on  which  a  man  was  said  to  have  hanged 
himself,  after  gambling  away  all  that  he  pos 
sessed. 

It  thrust  itself  suddenly  before  her,  like  a  con 
torted,  gouty  hand.  She  shuddered,  in  spite  of 
predetermination,  and  swerved  to  the  other  side  of 


70  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

the  road;  then,  climbing  the  snake-fence  opposite, 
struck  out  across  the  fields  once  more. 

Now  the  wind,  fully  awake  at  last,  rushed  bell 
owing  towards  her,  like  a  winged  bull.  With 
clenched  teeth  and  body  bent  sturdily  forward,  she 
strove  on  faster  than  before,  in  spite  of  the  strong 
beating  of  her  cloak,  which  seemed  trying  to  tug 
her  backward.  Again  the  blast  struck  her,  this 
time  from  the  side.  She  could  hear  the  angry 
surging  of  the  forest  upon  the  mountain  which 
she  was  nearing. 

"  T'on't  be  s'bad  i'  th'  woods/'  she  said  aloud. 

Her  hood  was  stripped  suddenly  from  her  head, 
and  her  cloak,  wrapping  about  her  staff,  almost 
jerked  it  from  her  grasp.  But  the  sky  was  still  as 
bright  as  ice,  and  the  mad  moon  seemed  racing 
past  the  flags  of  cloud. 

Having  reached  the  forest,  she  leaned  against  a 
tree  for  some  moments,  to  regain  her  breath.  All 
the  ground  was  fluttering  and  rustling  with  last 
year's  leaves.  A  horned  owl  gave  forth  its  deep 
trombone  note  above  her  head.  Another  an 
swered,  far  away. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  71 

Something  stirred  in  the  brush  at  her  side,  then 
darted  suddenly  past,  and  on  down  the  steep  de 
clivity — a  deer,  with  wide,  moon-silvered  antlers 
and  swift,  sure  feet. 

Tanis  gave  a  cry  of  delight  and  leaped  forward, 
all  the  huntress  hot  in  her  veins. 

"Lawd,  Lawd  !"  she  groaned,  "but  that  do 
make  me  mortal  homesick.  A  cyarn't  stan'  hit 
much  longer — a  cyarn't.  A  wuz  bawn  i'  th' 
mountains.  We  b'longs  tuh  each  other.  Seems 
like  that  thar  house  '11  kill  me,  sometimes.  A 
wan't  meant  tuh  live  in  a  house,  no  more'n  that 
deer  wuz  meant  to  wear  a  shell  like  a  snail. 
Seems  like  a'd  let  hit  all  rip,  jess  tuh  hev  Bill  an' 
a  gun  hyuh  furrer  minnit." 

She  gave  a  great  sigh  and  began  to  walk  on 
again. 

Having  skirted  the  side  of  the  mountain,  she 
came  out  into  a  narrow  opening  of  level  ground, 
through  which  a  broad,  stone-choked  torrent 
crawled,  glaring  between  its  cress-grown  banks. 
A  cow  lay  under  the  tossing  branches  of  a  stunted 
apple  tree,  and,  a  few  yards  further  on,  she  could 


72  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

see  a  log  cabin  braced  against  an  immense 
boulder.  Another  sigh  broke  from  her — this 
time  one  of  relief. 

"Yease — thar  hit  be,"  she  said,  and  began  to 
run  toward  it.  For  some  moments  she  stood 
knocking  at  the  rickety  door,  before  anyone  an 
swered.  Then  a  voice  called  out,  threateningly: 

"Who  be  that  a-poundin'  thar,  at  this  time  o' 
night  ?" 

"  A  be  Tanis,  the  sang-digger." 

uAn'  what  be  yuh  a-wantin',  at  this  time  o' 
night,  when  only  dead  folks  be  a  stirrin'  ?" 

u  A  be  a-wantin'  yo'  help,  Aunt  Libby.  A  wants 
hit  bad." 

"  Shore  'nuff  !  A'd  swar  tub  that.  ~No  human 
wants  good,  at  this  time  o1  night.  But  ef  yuh  be 
Tanis,  the  sang-digger,  like  yuh  sez,  let  down  yo' 
har,  an'  I'll  peek  thoo'  th'  winder  an'  see  whe'rr 
yuh  be  a-lyin'  or  no." 

The  girl  tore  her  heavy  plait  apart,  with  eager 
fingers,  and,  standing  before  the  window,  shook 
it  about  her,  until  she  seemed  wrapped  in  a  fiery 
veil. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  V3 

"  Yuh  be  she,  shore's  death  !:'  piped  "the  queru 
lous  voice,  and  the  next  moment  the  door  was 
opened. 

The  figure  that  appeared  in  its  fire-lit  square 
was  small,  twisted,  unhuman-looking.  Its  coarse 
white  hair,  whipped  about  by  the  fierce  wind, 
sprang  from  a  forehead  as  brown  and  shriveled 
as  a  dried  tobacco-leaf.  The  eyes  were  two 
glittering  points.  The  huge  nose  overarched  a 
toothless  cavity,  and  underneath  it  hung  a  goitre 
in  which  the  chin  had  been  absorbed.  But  al 
though  so  small  and  misshapen,  the  old  woman 
had  the  square,  sturdy  figure  of  a  man,  and 
gorilla-like  arms,  reaching  below  her  knees. 

'•  Yuh  be  she,  shore's  hell  !"  she  repeated. 
"  But  huccum  yuh  h}ruh,  this  time  o'  night  ? 
Th'  sang  been't  ready  fur  diggin'.  An'  whar  be 
yo'gang?" 

"A'm  cole,  Aun' Libby,"  said  the  girl.  "A've 
walked  a  long  way,  an'  a'm  frez  tuh  th'  bone. 
Leinme  in  tuh  warm,  an'  a'll  tell  yuh  all  yuh  ax.'" 

But  the  woman  stretched  out  one  of  her  long 
arms,  barring  the  way. 


74  TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

"  How  be  a  tub  know  ef  yuh  be  alone  ?"  she 
asked,  suspiciously.  "How  be  a  tub  know  yo' 
gang  hain'  a-waitin'  i'  th'  bresh,  tub  murder  me 
bime-by  ?" 

Tanis  made  a  curious  sign  with  both  hands,  and 
then  said  : 

"A  swar  by   th'  tokin  a'm  alone." 

"  Then  come  in  an'  warm,"   said  the  hag. 

The  girl  followed  her  into  a  low,  smoke-black 
ened  room,  in  one  end  of  which  a  wide  fire 
place  was  glowing,  fed  by  great  logs  or  rather 
trees,  for  the  trunks  of  two  chestnut  saplings  lay 
along  the  pine  floor,  their  withered  leaves  still 
clinging  to  the  smaller  branches,  which  had  not 
been  cut  away,  their  crowns  snapping  and  crack 
ling  among  the  chunks  of  "  fat-wood "  on  the 
hearth. 

There  was  no  bedstead.  A  heap  of  rags  filled 
one  corner  of  the  room,  covered  by  a  filthy  log- 
cabin  quilt.  Upon  this  lay  two  pillows,  made  of 
old  trouser-legs,  filled  with  shucks  and  twisted 
up  at  each  end  by  a  bit  of  string.  Upon  one  of 
these  rested  a  shaggy  mat  of  black  hair  and  beard. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  75 

Its  owner  was  snoring  heavily. 

"A  wanted  tub  speak  tub  yuh  by  yo'se'f, 
Aim'  Libby,"  whispered  Tanis,  her  face  falling. 

"  Well,  a  be  by  muhse'f,"  said  the  other,  grin 
ning,  if  a  toothless  gaping  of  leathern  lips  can  be 
called  a  grin.  "  Dave's  drunk,  an'  a  drunk  man 
hain't  man  nor  'ooman,  nor  ghose,  nor  nuthin'. 
So  talk  away,  muli  prutty." 

Tan  is  sat  down  on  a  three-legged  pine  stool, 
black  with  use  and  grease,  while  the  old  woman 
drew  up  the  one  cane-bottomed  chair,  quite  as 
greasy,  if  not  as  black,  and  taking  down  her  clay 
pipe  from  one  of  the  projecting  stones  of  the 
chimney,  began  to  fill  it,  her  keen  eyes  search 
ing  the  girl's  troubled  face  as  she  did  so.  Here 
and  there,  on  other  stones,  stood  bottles  of  differ 
ent  sizes  and  colors,  earthenware  jugs,  battered 
tin  cans,  gourds  and  bags  of  coarse,  dirty  stuff, 
tied  up  by  bits  of  rag.  From  a  rope  which  hung 
between  two  nails,  just  within  reach,  dangled 
bunches  of  herbs,  roots,  and  curiously  shaped 
seed-pods.  A  table  in  one  corner  held  two  broken 
plates,  a  blue  and  white  china  cup,  and  a  little, 


76  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

round  looking-glass,  in  a  frame  made  from  pine 
cones.  In  the  opposite  corner  stood  two  guns. 

When  she  had  lighted  her  pipe  to  her  satis 
faction,  the  old  witch  spoke  again: 

"  Be  yo'  arrand  too  bad  fuh  wuds  ?"  she  asked 
slowly. 

Tanis  started.  Her  face  was  white  and  grim. 
She  returned  the  other's  gaze  boldly. 

"Naw.  A  hain't  nuvver  ben  on  a  arrand  yet 
as  a  wuz  'shamed  tuh  tell  'bout,"  she  answered, 
"  an'  a  hain't  a-goin'  tuh  begin  now." 

"  Well,  talk  then,"  said  the  woman. 

"A  reckon  folks  come  tuh  yuh  fuh  prutty 
much  ev'y  thing  cfnder  th'  sun — done  they,  Aun' 
Libby?" 

'•Prutty  much." 

"  Fuh  love-drinks  an'  sech  truck  mos'  ev'y  day, 
a  reckon.  Hein  ?" 

"  Ev'y  day,  an'  ev'y  night,  mos'."  She  took  out 
her  pipe,  and  hunching  her  shoulders,  leered  com 
fortably  at  the  beautiful  face  opposite. 

"  Be  hit  love  ez  hev  caught  yun  at  larst,  honey?" 

"  That  hain'  nuther  hyuh  nor  thar,"  said  Tanis, 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  77 

sternly.  "  But  a  hain't  come  tuh  yuh  f uh  no  love- 
truck,  Ann'  Libby." 

A  faint  gleam  of  surprise  smouldered,  for  a 
moment,  in  the  peering  eyes. 

"  Yuh  hain't  come  f urrer  love-drink  ?  Well,  an' 
f  uh  whut  then,  Tanis  Gribble  ?  " 

The  girl  answered  the  question  by  another,  sud 
denly  put.  She  leaned  forward  so  that  she  could 
see  the  horrible  old  face  more  clearly. 

"Aun'  Libby,"  she  said,  "yuh  wuz  a  gal  onct 
like  me.  A've  heerd  folks  say  ez  how  yuh  wuz 
mortal  prutty,  too." 

The  hag  stared  for  a  moment,  and  then  actually 
bridled. 

"  Them  want  no  liars,  nuther,  ez  tole  yuh  that,'' 
she  observed,  blandly.  "  Yuh  see  these  hyuh  eyes  ? 
They  hain't  no  bigger'n  partridge  berries,  now,  an' 
they  be  mos'  ez  red,  but  when  a  war  a  gal,  they 
want  no  blue  bird  ez  war  bluer.  They  want  no 
glarss  button  ez  war  brighter.  An'  this  hyuh  skin 
er  mine — "  she  picked  up  a  fold  from  her  wrinkled 
arm  and  held  it,  while  gazing  upon  it  with  deep 
contempt,  "  this  hyuh  skin  er  mine,  whut's  ez  loose 


78  TAXI?,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

an'  brown  ez  a  dawg's  hide  now,  they  want  no 
whitewash  ez  war  whiter.  When  a  hed  cheeks, 
too,  they  wuz  pinker'n  a  cirkis  gal's  legs,  en  muh 
har  was  ez  long  ez  yo'n,  an'  a  darn  sight  pruttier 
color.  T'war  yaller  ez  broom  straw,  V  hed  a  skin 
on  hit  like  a  new  bottle,  an'  muh  toofs  mought  a 
ben  chipped  outerrer  chiny  plate." 

She  stuck  her  pipe  back  between  the  gums  once 
ornamented  by  those  very  teeth,  and  drew  several 
quick  puffd.  "  Yease,  a  war  prutty  onct,"  she  said, 
decisively. 

"  An'  war  yuh  ever  in  love,  Aun'  Libby  ?  " 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments;  then  the 
woman  answered  slowly  : 

"  Hit  like  turrer  bu'nt  me  up,  same's  fire  bu'ns 
up  a  house." 

Tanis  drew  her  stool  a  little  nearer. 

"  Tell  me  'bout  hit— tell  me  ! "  she  urged 
eagerly.  "  Wuz  he  prutty,  too  ?  Wuz  he  big 
'n'  strong  ?  Did  he  hev  blue  eyes,  like  yo'n  ? — an' 
teeth  like  chiny  ?  An'  war  he  good  or  bad  ?  War 
he  good  tuh  wimmins,  or  did  he  fool  wi'  'em  ?  Did 
he  act  squar  by  yuh,  or  did  he  fool  yuh  ?  " 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  ^9 

The  hag  took  out  her  pipe  and  again  gaped 
mirthfully  upon  the  girl. 

"  Do  a  look  like  a'd  ben  fooled  much,  honey  ?" 

"  Naw,  yuh  pintly  don't,"  said  Tanis,  bluntly. 

"An'  a  pintly  wa'n't  !  But,  namergawd,  hit 
wrinched  me  ! " 

Tanis  was  all  eagerness,  in  a  flash. 

"  Did  hit  go  suh  hard  wi'  yuh,  Aun'  Libby  ? 
Did  hit  now  ?  Did  yuh  hev  tormint  ?  War  he 
bad  ?  DidV  he  love  yuh  ?  " 

"  Love  me  nuthin',  yuh  little  fool  !  Men  done 
love,  they  wants,  an1  when  they  yits,  they  done 
want  no  mo'  ! " 

"  But  did  yuh  marh'y  him  ?  *' 

The  woman  cackled  harshly. 

"  A  war  a  sang-digger,  same's  yuh,  mtih  prutty !'' 
she  said.  "  An'  thar's  one  thing  whar  sang-diggers 
is  like  heaven.  Thar  hain'  no  mar'hyn  nor  givin' 
in  marhidge  wi'  um  !  Hee  !  hee  !  But  a  tuk  Joe 
f  uh  muh  man,  ef  that's  what  yuh  wants  tuh  git 
at." 

x  The  girl's  face  had  grown  scarlet,  but  she  said 
steadily: 


80  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-D1GGEE. 

"  An'  war  he  good  tub  yuh  ?" 

"A  bed  nine  chil'n  by  him,  an'  he  beat  'em 
mo'n  he  beat  me.  That  war  supp'n.  But  he  got 
on  a  drunk  an'  kilt  ma  pap,  an'  that  war  sup'n,  too. 
Then  a  lef  'im." 

"  Oh,  he  wuz  bad,  then!  he  wuz  bad,  too!"  cried 
the  girl,  with  a  sob.  She  let  her  head  drop  for 
ward  in  her  hands,  but  the  same  instant  the  old 
woman  clutched  her  by  the  shoulder,  shaking  her 
fiercely. 

<k  Gawdamoughty  !  Hyuh  !  Shet  yo'  inouf  ! 
Done  yuh  jaw  my  Joe  or  hit'll  be  wuss  fuh  yuh !" 

She  looked  like  a  fiend,  her  little  eyes  blazing, 
her  shapeless  face  working  with  rage.  Both 
hands  were  grasping  the  girl's  shoulders  now. 
Her  pipe  lay  broken  on  the  stone  hearth. 

"  Shet  yo'  cussed  mouf  !  Shet  it,  a  say !"  she 
cried,  shrilly.  "  Hit  alluz  did  sot  me  mad  tub 
hyuh  a  bad  wud  agin  Joe  !  Namergawd,  done 
yuh  seh  no  mo'  !  A  dunno  what  a'll  do  tub  yuh  ! 
Tain'  safe  !  Tain'  safe  !" 

But  Tanis  did  not  know  what  fear  meant.  She 
said  quietly: 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  81 

"  Thar  now,  sober  down,  Ann'  Libby.  A  cer- 
t'n'y  hain't  meant  tuh  hut  yo'  feelin's.  Of  cose  I 
dunno  nothin'  bout  hit."  She  stooped  and  picked 
up  the  broken  pipe.  "  Ken  a  git  yurrer  'nother?" 
she  asked. 

But  Aunt  Libby  had  sunk  back  into  her  chair, 
shaking  and  speechless.  Her  eyes  glared  before 
her,  as  though  looking  at  some  one  invisible  to 
Tanis. 

"  Muh  po'  ole  Joe !  Muh  po'  ole  man  !"  the 
girl  heard  her  muttering.  "  No  one  hain'  nuvver 
done  yuh  jestice  savin'  me." 

After  a  while  she  got  up,  still  trembling,  and 
filled  herself  another  pipe.  When  she  had 
smoked  for  ten  minutes  in  silence,  she  turned  to 
the  girl  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 

"  Well,  an'  what  be  yuh  a-wantin'  ?" 

"  What  be  a  a-wantin'  ?''  repeated  Tanis,  slowly. 
"  Well,  a'll  tell  yuh.  A  wants  supp'n  ez'll  kill 
love  in  man  an'  'ooman  both.  Supp'n  ez  '11  kill 
hit  dead  ez  Adam  'fore  he  wuz  made." 

The  expression  of  Aunt  Libby  was  indescrib 
able. 


82  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Supp'n -ez — '11 — kill— love?"  she  repeated. 
"  Supp'n— ez— '11— kill— love  ?"  She  sat,  open- 
mouthed,  blinking  up  at  Tanis,  who  was  now 
standing  to  her  full  height  above  her,  pale  again, 
and  determined. 

"  Yease,  supp'n  ez  '11  kill  love.  Supp'n  ez  '11 
kill  hit  so  hit  'on't  hev  even  a  ghose.  Thet's  what 
a  wants,  Aun'  Libby." 

"  Supp'n  ez'll  kill  love!  Supp'n  ez'll  kill  love!11 
droned  the  witch,  still  gaping  at  her.  Then,  with 
a  sudden  flash,  as  from  a  fire  smouldered  to  its 
last  coal:  "Yuh  fool!  Yuh  hain't  got  th'  sence 
yuh  wuz  bawned  wi'  !  Done  yuh  know  ez  how 
po'  folks  hain't  got  but  two  pleasures  i'  th'  whole 
worl',  yuh  fool !  Look  at  Dave  thar  !  They  hain' 
no  king  nor  rich  man  alive  ez  is  got  mo'n  Dave's 
got,  now  he's  full  o'  whisky  !  Talk  o'  Heaven  ! 
When  a  body's  full  o'  whisky  heaven's  in  em  ! 
They  done  need  tuh  sot  out  tuh  fine  hit. 
'Ud  hit  take  mo'  whisky  tuh  mek  th'  man 
ez  owns  the  Hot  Springs  drunker'n  Dave  be 
now?  An'  ud  he  be  happier:  When  yuh're 
drunk  yuh're  drunk  —  an'  when  yuh're  drunk 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  83 

yuh're  happy — 'n'  happiness  is  but  happiness. 
An'  when  yuh  love  hit's  th'  same.  Cud  a  queen 
love  more'n  you  cud  ?  'N'  cud  th'  man  ez  she 
loved,  an'  ez  loved  her,  mek  a  queen  happier'n  yo' 
man  cud  mek  you  ?  Fool !  Love  an'  whisky's 
all  us  po'  folks  is  got  tuh  pay  us  f uh  th'  cussed- 
ness  uv  life.  'N'  then  them  ez  is  rich  pints  at  us 
an'  calls  us  low  !  Books  'n'  theayters,  'n'  fine  close, 
V  hawses,  V  ridin'  on  th'  cyars,  'n'  sailin'  tuh 
strange  contris — they  kin  git  fat  'n'  good  'n'  happ}r 
on  sech  things,  an'  go  tuh  heaven  arterwards,  too! 
But  sang-diggers  an'  th'  like  !  ~\Vut  is  ice  got  ? 
Wut  is  th'  like  uv  yuh'n  me  'n'  Dave  yonder  got 
tuh  switch  up  our  blood  'n'  make  us  better' n 
sticks  'n'  stones  'n'  graveyard  worms  ?  Love  'n' 
whisky  !  Love  'n'  whisky,  yuh  fool  !  When 
yuh're  young  like  you  be — love;  'n'  when  yuh're 
ole,  like  I  be — whisky." 

She  fell  back,  panting,  and  the  girl  stood  as 
though  transfixed,  gazing  at  her  from  wide,  horri 
fied  eyes.  At  last  she  said,  almost  in  a  whisper  : 

"  Fuh  Gawd's  sake,  Aun'  Libby,  gimme  what  a 
axed  yuh  f  uh  an'  lemme  go  !  A  done  mean  a 


84  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

wants  yuh  tub  kill  all  th'  love  in  me,  but  a  wants 
to  stop  lovin'  one  man.  An'  a  wants  him  tub  stop 
lovin'  me.  He's  bad.  He's  bad,  thoo'  and  thoo', 
an'  a  wants  hit  tub  end  now.  A've  stood  'nuff. 
Hit's  like  hell-fire  in  muh  heart." 

She  had  clasped  her  hands  together  as  she  spoke, 
and  now  held  them  out  to  the  other,  beseechingly. 

"  Oh,  Aun'  Libby  !  A'll  do  mos'  anythirt  f  uh 
yuh  ef  yuh'll  gimme  supp'n  tub  kill  jess  this  hyuh 
one  love,  'caze  hit's  a  bad  love.  Ilit'll  mek  me  bad, 
V  hit'll  brek  Bill's  heart,  V  hit'll  do  harm  tub 
others  !  Aun'  Libby,  a  hain'  nuvver  prayed  in 
muh  life,  but  oh  !  ef  yuh'll  gimme  a  drink  ez'll  do 
that,  a'll  pray  ev'ry  night  on  muh  bended  knees 
fuh  Gawd  tub  give  yuh  back  yo'  Joe  one  day 
somewhar,  an'  let  him  be  like  he  war  when  yuh 
loved  him,  'n'  let  you  be  yorng  'n'  pretty  like  yuh 
war  when  he  loved  you  !" 

She  was  too  blinded  by  her  own  tears  to  see  the 
meagre  drops  that  had  oozed  from  the  other's 
parched  lids  and  crept  over  the  withered  cheeks 
as  she  was  speaking  ;  but,  as  she  finished,  the  poor 
old  wretch  rose  trembling  from  her  chair,  and 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  85 

again  put  both  crooked  hands  upon  the  young 
shoulders,  now  shaken  with  sobs. 

"  Honey,"  she  whispered,  fainth^,  then  pausing 
and  trying  to  steady  her  voice. 

"  Done  cry,  honey  !  A'll  do  th1  bes'  a  ken  full 
yuh.  A've  got  a  drink.  T'one  hut  yuh.  But — 

but — mebbe "  She  paused  again  and  looked 

about  her,  vaguely.  "  Mebby,"  she  ended,  "  yuh'd 
better  seh  yo'  prars  'bout  that  thar,  too." 

When  Tanis  turned  to  leave  the  cabin  the  moon 
was  just  slipping  over  the  crest  of  Back-creek 
mountain  and  the  wind  had  lulled. 

As  she  put  the  vial  which  Aunt  Libby  had  given 
her  in  the  breast  of  her  gown,  she  turned,  under  a 
sudden  impulse,  and,  stooping,  pressed  her  fresh 
lips  to  that  seamed  forehead. 

The  old  wretch  clung  to  her  for  a  moment,  and 
the  girl  fancied  that  she  heard  her  sob. 


86  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

rriHE  weather  had  changed  suddenly.  The  pale 
spring  sky  had  drooped  low  over  the  valley 
like  a  soft,  perfumed,  breeze-stirred  veil.  The 
lilacs  were  beginning  to  distil  their  honeyed  scent, 
and  the  clustering  water-cresses  were  sprinkled 
with  little  bright  yellow  blossoms,  whose  reflec 
tions  streaked  the  water  running  past  them  as 
with  wavy  perpendicular  sunbeams.  There  was  a 
stir  of  young  life  throughout  the  deep  forests  and 
in  the  grass  of  the  fields. 

Tanis  sat  with  her  elbows  on  the  side  of  the 
kitchen  window,  her  chin  in  her  palms,  her  eyes 
trying  to  make  out  the  curves  and  angles  of  some 
constellations  which  Alice  had  shown  her  the  night 
before.  But  her  face  had  an  absent-minded  ex 
pression.  Evidently  the  stars  touched  only  the 
surface  of  her  mood. 

She  withdrew  her  eyes  from  their  bright  mazes 
after  some  moments,  and  fixing  them  on  the  dusky 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK.  87 

mountain  side,  only  a  few  yards  away,  said  aloud, 
but  in  a  low,  concentrated  voice  : 

"  Come  tuh  me  !  Come  tub  me  !  A  needs  yuh  ! 
A  runs'  see  yuh." 

The  silky  rustle  of  the  night  wind,  blowing  fit 
fully,  brought  with  it  the  sound  of  a  warm  brooklet 
that  trilled  through  the  field  below,  its  course 
marked  by  delicate  whorls  of  steam,  while  a  nest- 
ful  of  unfledged  birds,  in  the  quince  tree  near  by, 
set  up  sleepy  twitterings  as  their  cradle  bough 
swayed  gently. 

"Come  tuh  me!"  said  the  girl  again,  her  brows 
knit  in  her  intensity,  her  hands  grasped  together. 
"Ef  yuh  ken  feel  me  a-callin'  tuh  yuh.  Come! 
Comer 

Shortly  a  new  sound  caught  her  ear,  the  sound 
of  a  man's  step — long,  impatient.  She  rose  at 
once,  unlatching  the  door,  and,  opening  it  wide, 
stood  waiting  upon  the  threshold. 

A  tall  figure  soon  came  in  sight  and  moved 
rapidly  up  the  garden  path. 

"S'that  you,  Sam?"  she  asked,  in  quiet  tones. 

"  That's  me,  honey,"  came  the  quick  response. 


88  TAN1S,    THE    SANG  DIGGER. 

He  approached  and  was  about  to  take  her  in  his 
arms,  when  she  drew"  back,  putting  out  one  hand 
to  keep  him  from  her. 

"Ef  yuh  loves  me  like  yuh  says,  yuh'll  come  in 
an'  ack  like  a  tells  yuh,"  she  then  remarked.  "A 
wants  tuh  hev  a  good  talk  wi'  yuh,  Sam  Rose.  A 
wants  yuh  tuh  'have  yuhse'f  same  ez  ef  Bill  wuz 
hyuh,  an'  a  wants  yuh  tuh  hyuh  me  thoo'  wi' 
what  a  got  tuh  seh." 

He  tried  to  make  out  the  expression  of  her  face 
in  the  starlight,  but  failed. 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  almost  meekly.  "  G'long. 
A'll  foller." 

When  they  were  both  in  the  kitchen,  Tanis  lifted 
the  glaring  kerosene  lamp  from  the  shelf  beside 
the  window  and  set  it  on  the  long  deal  table  be 
tween  them,  then  signed  him  to  place  two  chairs. 
He  put  them  close  together,  but  she  removed  them 
at  once  a  full  yard  apart.  Sam  grinned  and  looked 
puzzled.  He  had  stuck  a  spray  of  dark  blue  wild 
flowers  in  his  hat,  and  their  color  brought  out  the 
downright  gold  of  his  beard  and  accentuated  the 
azure  of  his  eyes.  He  leaned  back,  quite  conscious 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  89 

of  his  own  charms,  and  slowly  caressed  his  beard, 
the  strong  fibres  drawing  down  his  under  lip  at 
each  movement  and  disclosing  its  clear  scarlet. 

"  Well,  muh  prutty,"  he  said,  still  smiling  at  her, 
"an'  what  be  th'  tex'  uv  yo'  sarmon  ?" 

Tan  is  looked  at  him  very  gravely. 

"'Tain't  no  sarmon,"  she  said.  "  An',  fust  uv  all, 
a  wants  yuh  tuh  tell  me  huccum  yuh  hyuh  tub 
night?" 

"A  come  'caze  a  felt  yuh  a-drawin'  uv  me, 
beauty  bright." 

She  grew  very  pale. 

"S'that  hones'  ?v  she  asked,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  That's  hones',"  he  replied,  nodding  easily. 

"  A  wonders,  a  wonders — "  she  began,  and  then 
broke  off  and  stared  at  him  with  troubled  specula 
tion  in  her  eyes. 

"Yuh  wonders  what,  sugar?"'  he  urged,  and 
slipped  his  chair  a  little  nearer  to  hers  by  an  al 
most  imperceptible  movement.  "What  is  hit  yuh 
wonders  ?  Tell  Sam.  He  b'longs  tuh  yuh,  same 
ez  yo'  own  han'  or  fut  or  heart  do.  C'yarn't  yuh 
tell  him  ?" 


90  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK. 

"  Mebbe,"  she  said,  shortly.  And  then,  rising, 
"but  fust  a'm  a-goin'  tuh  let  Mis'  Gilman  know 
you'se  hyuh.  A  hain't  nuvver  done  nothin'  on  th' 
sly,  an'  a  hain't  a-goin'  tuh  begin  now." 

He  stared  at  her,  actually  speechless,  and  before 
he  had  recovered  from  his  surprise  she  had  left  the 
room. 

As  usual,  Alice  was  lying  on  her  sofa  with  a 
book.  She  put  it  down  when  Tanis  entered,  and 
smiled  at  her.  But  the  girl  was  too  troubled  to 
smile  back.  She  came  close  to  the  pretty  sofa, 
with  its  coverlet  of  silk  and  lace,  and  said  bluntly: 

"  A  come  tuh  tell  yuh  ez  how  a  feller,  called 
Sam  Rose,  be  i'  th'  kitchen.  He  be  a  sang-digger 
an'  a  bad  'un,  but  he  says  ez  how  he  loves  me,  an' 
mebbe  a  ken  talk  him  into  some  goodness."  She 
caught  her  breath  and  then  went  on:  "A — a  loves 
him,  too — but  'tain't  a  good  love,  hit  done  do  me 
no  good.  A  wanter  try  tuh  mek  hit  wuk  on  him 
good,  though,  an' — an'  then,  mebbe,  we  mought 
come  together  some  day  an'  be  happy."  She 
paused  again;  then  with  shyness  and  great  stum 
bling  over  her  words:  "A  hain't  nuvver  hed  much 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  91 

call  tub  pray.  Hit  done  come  natchul  tub  me,  but 
you  be  so  good — 'ud  yub  mine — 'ud  hit  worrit 
yuh,  tub — tub  say  a  good  wud  tub  Gawd  fub  Sam 
V  me  ?  A  come  tub  tell  yub  he  war  byuh,  caze 
a  mougbt  be  a  argyfyin'  wi'  him  twel  right  late, 
he's  that  mulish,  an'  a  wanted  yub  tub  know 
Ywarn'  fub  no  harm  a  wuz  a-keepin'  uv  him.*' 

Alice  drew  her  down  and  kissed  her,  in  silence, 
but  the  girl  understood  this  simple  act  better 
than  she  would  have  done  the  most  eloquent 
phrases. 

When  she  entered  the  kitchen  again  Sam  had 
found  some  corn  bread  and  honey  in  a  cupboard 
and  was  regaling  himself  freely,  Avhistling  between 
bis  immense  bites  and  cutting  pigeon-wings  over 
the  blackened  floor.  He  stuffed  the  last  morsel 
into  his  mouth  as  she  appeared,  and  made  a  lunge 
at  her  with  both  arms,  but  she  slipped  past  him 
and  seated  herself  at  the  table.  He  laughed  good- 
naturedly,  and  took  the  chair  which  he  had  placed 
for  himself  at  her  request. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  wiping  on  his  trouser  leg  the 
big  clasp-knife  with  which  he  had  been  hacking 


92  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

his  corn-pone  and  honey.  "  Fire  away.  All' 
stan'  stiddy,  fuh  a  targit." 

There  was  silence  for  some  moments,  broken 
by  the  rusty  ticking  of  the  old  mahogany  clock 
on  the  chimney-piece,  and  the  intermittent  frou 
frou  of  the  breeze  in  a  stack  of  fodder  near  the 
open  window. 

Then,  lifting  her  grave  eyes  to  his,  the  girl  said 
slowly: 

"  How  duz  yuh  love  me,  Sam  ?" 

He  looked  staggered  for  a  moment,  and  then 
that  ever- ready  smile  shortened  his  face  and  nar 
rowed  his  keen  eyes. 

"  How  duz  a  love  yuh  ?"  he  repeated.  "  My 
lawdy,  sugar,  but  thet's  th'  dawggones'  thing  uvver 
a  hyearn  !  A  love  yuh,  same  ez  other  fellers 
loves  a  gal,  when  they  wants  her  wuss'n  whisky." 

Tanis  winced.  Those  words  "  want "  and 
"  whisky"  brought  Aunt  Libby  before  her  like  an 
actual  presence. 

"  Yease,  thetfs  hit,"  she  returned,  dryly.  "  Meb- 
be  you  calls  wantirf  jess  so,  levin?,  but  I  don't." 

Sam  shook  his  shoulders,  impatiently. 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-D1GGER.  93 

"  When  a  man  loves  a  gal,  done  he  alluz  want 
her  ?"  he  demanded. 

"Yease,  but  thar's  moughty  diff'unt  ways  o' 
wantin'.  Some  wants  a  bird  tuh  eat  hit,  an'  some 
wants  hit  tuh  take  keer  uv  hit  an'  larn  hit  how 
tuh  sing.  What  I  wants  tuh  know  is  this  hyuh — 
how  long'd  yuh  love  me,  arter  yuh  got  me  ?" 

"Now,  honey,"  said  Sam, looking  serious  for  the 
first  time,  "  ef  any  man  lays  out  tuh  tell  a  gal  per- 
cizely  how  long  he's  a-goin'  tuh  love  her,  that 
man's  a  darned  liar,  or,  if  he  ain't,  then  he's  a 
darned  fool.  A  ken  tell  yuh  one  thing,  tho'.  A 
loves  you  wuss'n  a  uvver  loved  a  gal  sence  a  wuz 
bawn.  Hit  fyar  gneaws  me  like  honger  an'  thust. 
Seems  like  sometimes,  ef  a  cuddn't  ketch  a  holt  o' 
yuh,  a'd  lie  down  an'  die.  Ef  a  wus  starvin'  en  a 
lied  muh  chice  'twixt  a  bite  o'  bread  an'  yo'  mouf, 
a'd  kiss  yuh  an'  quit." 

She  was  flushed  and  trembling,  but  very  quiet. 

"That  been't  all,  though,  be  it?"  she  asked. 
•'<  Dontchu  nuvver  feels  like  yuh'd  want  tuh  be  a 
better  man,  fur  my  sake?  Dontchu  nuvver  feels 
like  you  wanted  tuh  be  good,  f  uh  me  ?" 


94  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGKR. 

"A  feel  like  a'd  like  tuh  be  good  tuh  you, 
muh  prutty.  A  done  know  ez  how  a  hones 
arter  bein'  suh  good  ftih  yuh.  What  i'  th' 
namersense  hez  goodness  gotter  do  wi'  lovin'? 
A  reckons  the  Ole  Scratch  hisse'f  loves  his 
'ooman,  an'  he  cyarn't  mix  up  much  goodness 
wi'  hit." 

Her  face  was  white  and  anxious. 

"  But,  Sam,  arter  we  got  mah'd,  s'pos'n'  then 
yuh  stopped  a-lovin'  me  like  yuh  duz  now,  'ud 
yuh  go  on  wi' — wi'  yo'  badness  to'ds  other 
gals  ?  Ud  yuh  alluz  swar,  an'  drink,  an'  shoot, 
like  yuh  ben  do  all  yuh  life?  Oh,  Sam,  'tain't 
suh  much  good  rightaway  ez  a  'spects  yuh  tuh 
be,  but  tuh  want  tuh,  want  tuh,  be  gud." 

Sam  gazed  at  her  soberly. 

"Gawd,  He  knows  yuh  beats  me!"  he  said 
at  last,  "but  a  sut'n'y  hain't  a-goin'  tuh  lie  full 
nobordy."  One  of  his  sudden  inspirations  seized 
him.  "Hyuh!"  he  said,  patting  his  knee,  "come 
hyuh,  an'  set  on  muh  lap,  an'  a'll  try  tuh  mek 
my  way  o'  thinkin1  cl'ar  to  you." 

At  first  she    hesitated,  but    something    in   his 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  95 

eyes  compelled  her,  and  she  went  reluctantly 
toward  him.  He  lifted  her  on  his  knee, 
then,  folding  both  arms  about  her,  pressed 
her  closer  and  closer  to  him,  until  her  breath 
came  painfully. 

"Thar!  tha^s  how  a  loves  ytili,"  he  exclaimed 
at  last.  "  Xow  kiss  me,  an'  a'li  show  yuh  plainer 

yit." 

But  she  tore   herself   away. 

"Yuh're  bad,  an'  yuh  wants  tuh  stay  bad," 
she  cried,  passionately  ;  "  how  kin  the  Lawd 
be  gud,  like  folks  say,  and  yit  mek  mens  like 
you  ?'' 

"Ef  yuh  loved  me,  yuh  wouldn't  bother  me 
wr  all  this  hyuh  truck  o'  talk'',  he  said,  dog 
gedly,  as  pale  as  she  was,  "  but  you  mought  ez 
well  be  made  outer  tin  fuh  all  you  kin  feel. 
Yuh  dunno  what  love  is.  Mebbe  yuhvll  know, 
some  day,  an'  mebbe  yuh  wone  wanter  wase 
s'much  time  a-talkin',  but  by  Gawdamoughty,  a'll 
kill  th'  feller  ez  yuh  loves,  ef  he  be  a  angel 
dude  fresh  from  heaven." 

The  giiTs   eyes  flashed. 


96  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  How  dar'  yuh  seh  what  a  feels  an  what  a 
done  feel  ?"  she  cried.  "  How  dar'  yuh  tell 
me  whe'rr  a  loves  yuh  or  no  ?  Ain't  I  got  a 
heart,  an'  a  brain,  an'  a  bordy  same  as  you  is? 
Ain't  I  got  blood  i'  muh  veins,  an'  tears  back 
o'  muh  eyes,  same  ez  any  other  gal  ?  'Case 
a  done  want  tuh  tek  up  wi'  a  drunkard  an'  a 
gambler,  an'  a  feller  what  goes  'bout  doin'  wus'n 
murder,  yuh  dar'  stan'  thar  an'  tell  me  a  done 
feel  !" 

Her  mood  broke  suddenly,  and  left  her  ra 
diant  with  tears. 

"  Oh,  Sam,  Sam  !"  she  pleaded,  "done  tormint 
me  no  mo'.  A  is  been  love  yuh  sence  a  fust 
seed  yuh,  tell  hit  seemed  like  muh  vurry  har 
bu'nt  me  a-blowin'  roun'  muh  face.  A  is  ben 
honger  arter  yuh,  tell  hit  seemed  like  thar 
warn'  no  place  on  earth  ez  empty  ez  these 
hyuh  arms  o'  mine.  A  is  ben  thurst  tuh 
look  inter  yuh  eyes,  twel  hit  seemed  like  mine 
wuz  dryin'  up  wi'  fever.  When  yuh  kissed 
me,  that  day,  on  th'  Warm  Springs  mountain, 
hit  seemed  like  a  wuz  meltin'  away  in  yo' 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  97 

arras — like  a  wuz  you,  yo'se'f — like  a  breathed 
wi'  yo'  breath  an'  looked  wi'  yo'  eyes.  When 
a  thinks  how  tall  yuh  is  muh  heart  jumps  i' 
muh  bres'  like  a  hot  stone.  When  a  'mem 
bers  yuh  voice,  an'  th'  sweet  wuds  yuh  done 
seh  tuh  me,  hit  seems  like  a  wuz  faintin'  back 
inter  a  dream.  Sometimes,  i'  th'  dark,  a've 
thunk  ez  how  yuh  kissed  me,  an'  it  seemed 
like  sparks  o'  fire  was  pourin'  over  me,  an' 
thoo  me,  same  ez  they  does  up  th'  chimbly 
when  yuh  beats  on  smoulderin'  wood.  The? 8 
how  a  loves  yuh,  Sani,  but  oh,  a  loves  yuh 
more'n  thet.  A  loves  yuh  so,  a'd  gi'  muh  life 
tuh  see  yuh  jess  a-icantirf  tuh  be  good. 
When  a  sez  good,  a  done  mean  like  them 
whinin'  preachers  i'  th'  valley,  but  kynd  an' 
hones'  wi'  gals,  not  suh  often  drunk,  not 
suh  quick  tuh  cut  an'  shoot  an'  drag  others 
inter  sin." 

She  paused,  gasping,  her  hands  clasped  against 
her  breast,  her  eager  eyes  thrust  deep  into  his. 

His  face  was  flushed  with  conflicting  passions. 
He  opened  and  shut  his  great  hands  nervously  in 


98  TANIS,    THE    SANG- DIGGER. 

his  effort  to  control  himself.  He  was  angry, 
touched,  resentful,  while  over  all  his  love  for  her 
swelled  with  a  mad  rage, 

"  How  be  yuh  a-goin'  tub  prove  all  this  hyuh 
moughty  love  o'  yourn  ?  "  he  said,  at  last,  in  a  thick 
voice.  "  How  be  yuh  a-goin'  tuh  mek  me  b'lieye 
yuh  hongers  arter  me,  when  yuh  'on't  even  gi'  me 
a  kiss  ?  Ef  yuh  sub  moughty  hongry  arter  sup- 
pin',  'udn't  yuh  tek  a  bite  o'  hit  ?  Naw,  by  Gawd, 
ef  yuh  loved  me  like  yuh  seh  yuh  do,  thar  'udn't 
be  no  room  in  yuh  fuh  reason.  Yo'  arms  'ud  be 
wropped  roun'  muh  neck  same  ez  ef  yuh  wuz 
drowndin',  an'  yuh  mouf  'ud  be  fars  tuh  mine,  like 
yuh  wuz  drawin'  yuh  vurry  life  outer  me.  Love  ! 
you  love  !  yuh  dunno  no  mo'  'bout  love  'n'  ef  yuh 
hed'n  ben  weaned  but  yestiddy  !  Why,  ez  yuh 
stans  thar  a-gapin'  at  me,  them  red  lips  o'  yourn 
wars  th'  shape  o'  yo'  mammy's  bres'  yit ! "  He 
actually  groaned,  "  Lawd!  Lawd!  yuh  po' little 
baby-gal  !  'Ooman  folks  done  stan'  in  armVreach 
o'  th'  fellers  they  loves,  an'  jaw  'bout  th'  right  an' 
wrong  uv  it,  ez  ef  they  war  in  Sunday-school,  an' 
ez  cool  an'  green  ez  cowcumbers.  A  reckons  one  o' 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  99 

them  critters  ez  lives  at  the  north  pole  an'  chaws 
on  taller  candles  tuh  keep  'em  warm,  a  reckons  one 
o'  them  coots  ud  suit  yuh  f ustrate.  They'd  love 
yuh  th'  way  yuh'd  like  to  be  loved,  a  reckon. 
Somebordy  tole  me  ez  how  they  rubbed  noses  'sted  o? 
kissin' !  "  He  laughed  savagely.  "  Yease,  thernd 
be  'bout  th'  kine  yo^V/like  tuh  manage.  By  thun 
der  !  yuh  hev'  got  cole  grit  tuh  drag  in  goodness,  by 
th'  yers  a-squealiiv  like  a  pig,  an'  thin  go  a-tell'n' 
me  ez  hit  an'  love's  got  tuh  be  mixed  'fore  yuh'll 
tase  hit  !  "  He  took  a  stride  forward,  but  did  not 
attempt  to  touch  her.  "  You're  a  gal,  an'  mebbe 
all  this  sort  o'  truck  done  wuk  yuh  up,  like  hit  do 
a  man.  Mebbe  you  kin  stan*  thar  an'  preach  at 
me  an'  ettjie  yuhse'f,  but  I  hain't  no  gal !  I  hain't 
no  mealy-moufed  Mithydis,  an'  th'  blood's  a-bub- 
blin'  in  me  same's  melted  iron  !  D'yuh  think  a'm 
a-going  on  furuvver,  a-lettin'  yuh  make  a  cawn- 
geygashun  out  o'  me,  an'  a  twis'n'  up  them  prutty 
lips  o'  yourn  wi'  Bible  wuds  an'  sich,  when  muh 
vurry  heart's  a-whirlin'  in  me,  a  wants  tuh  kiss  yuh 
so  ?  D'yuh  think  that  ?  'Caze  ef  yer  does,  by  th' 
whole  crowd  o'  Heaven,  yuh  thinks  a  lie.  Thar'll 


100  TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

come  a  time  when  a  wone  stan'  hit  no  mo1,  an'  then 
yuh'll  wisht  yuh  heddn't  druv  me  crazy  !  " 

Tanis  stood  gazing  fearlessly  upon  him,  magnifi 
cent  and  white. 

"  Yease"  she  said,  as  he  paused,  out  of  breath. 
"  Yease,  thet  thar's  th'  way  men  talks  tuh  wimmen 
ez  tries  tuh  keep  decent,  an'  do  whut's  right,  so  far 
ez  they  knows  how.  Pore  blind  mole  !  Cyarn't 
yuh  see  no  further'n  yo'  own  craziness  ?  Cyarn't 
yuh  tell  th'  diff'  ence  t'wix'  a  'ooman  ez  is  bawn 
cole  an'  puny,  an'  a  'ooman  ez  is  wile  an'  strong  by 
nature,  an'  is  tryin'  tuh  love  i'  th'  bes'  way?  Oh, 
shame  on  yuh,  shame!  shame!  tuh  seh  sich  wuds  tuh 
me,  when  a've  split  open  muh  vurry  heart  fur  yuh 
tuh  look  at,  when  a've  tole  you  how  a've  ached  tuh 
kiss  yuh,  an'  a  didn'  do  hit,  jess  caze  't'ud  a  ben 
wrong!  Yuh  sehs  I  done  know  what  love  is!  Well,  a 
say  th'  same  tuh  yuh !  Yuh  done  love  me,  Sam  Rose  ! 
you  loves  th'  kisses  muh  mouf  cud  give  yuh,  you 
loves  the  feel  muh  arms  'ud  hev  on  yuh  th'oat,  yuh 
loves  th'  warmness  ez  'ud  go  thoo'  yuh  ef  a  let 
yuh  hole  me  close,  like  yuh  did  jess  now  !  But 
ain'  that  th'  way  yuh  loves  whisky  ?  Ain't  hit  f uh 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  101 

th'  feel  hit  gives  yuh  that  yuh  loves  hit  ?  'Tain't 
th'  stuff  hitse'f  no  mor'n  hit's  me,  rauhse'f,  yuh 
loves.  Y'ud  hut  me,  fuh  yo'  pleasure,  quick  ez 
thinkin',  yuh'd  make  Bill  hate  me,  an'  yud  leave 
me  tuh  muh  mis'ry  arterwards,  like  you  lef  them 
po'  Darley  gals — an' — Maggie" 

His  face  had  grown  so  ghastly  that  she  paused, 
half-awed  by  her  own  daring. 

He  sank  into  one  of  the  chairs  by  the  deal  table. 
He  was  trembling.  In  one  leap  she  had  reached 
his  side.  Kneeling,  she  took  his  hand  in  both  her 
own  and  pressed  it  against  her  heart. 

"  Sam,  Sam,"  she  stammered,  "  ef  thar  be  a 
Gawd,  He  knows  a'm  a  sayin'  hit  fuh  yo'  own  sake. 
lie  knows  a  loves  yuh,  ev'n  ef  you  don't.  Fuhgive 
me — ef  a've  hit  yuh  too  hard,  an'  try,  try  tuh  feel 
th'  love  ez  is  back  uv  hit  all." 

He  tried  to  speak,  but  his  lips  were  dry.  Fetch 
ing  a  gourd  of  water,  she  held  it  to  his  mouth  with 
shaking  hands.  He  drank  eagerly,  like  a  man  in  a 
fever,  then  said,  huskily  : 

"  Thar  hain't  nawbordy  knows  how — how — that 
gal  hev  harnted  me  night  'n'  day." 


102  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Oil,  Sam  !  Oh,  my  dear  Sam  !  Hev  she  ?  Be 
yuh  sorry  yuh  done  hit  ?  Be  yuh  weak  when  yuh 
thinks  uv  hit  ?  Do  hit  come  tuh  yuh  by  night  an 
mek  yuh  fret  an'  tun  'bout  in  yo'  bed  ?" 

"  Hit  do  !  Hit  do  !  Jess  like  yuh're  a-sayin', 
Tan  is.  Them  other  gals  wuz  bold  'n'  for'ard  ;  a 
man  ud  a  ben  a  fool  tuh  spar  'em.  But  th'  other — 
she  war  a  pitiful  little  critter.  She  sot  a  heap  by 
me.  A  done  her  a  devil's  turn,  Tanis."  He  got  to 
his  feet.  "  Thar,  a  reckons  yuh'd  better  lemme  go 
while  muh  blood's  tunned  tuh  water,  like  it  be  now. 
Yuh're  right,  muh  gal,  a'm  a  low-down,  bad  feller, 
an'  not  fit  tuh  call  yo'  name — but — but —  He 

stared  down  at  her,  a  little  of  the  old  fierceness 
lighting  his  eyes. 

"  Done  you  tarnt  me  no  mo'  wi'  not  lovin'  yuh ! 
Hit's  like  a  said,  devils  ken  love,  a  reckon.  An'  a 
feller  tole  me  onct  'twar  i'  th'  Bible  ez  how  a  devil 
loved  a  'ooman.  Thet's  how  a  loves  yuh,  a  reckon, 
an'  hit's  moughty  strong — stronger'n  /  be,  by  a 
darn  sight !  But  ef  a  ken  keep  a  right  rank  kyerb 
'twix'  hit's  jaws,  a'll  try  to  fool  hit  inter  thinkin' 
a'm  th'  master,  same  ez  folkses  fools  a  hawse.  Ef 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  103 

a  ken  hole  out  a  won't  pester  yuh  no  mo'.  Mine 
tho',  a  seh  ef  a  ken  hole  out  /" 

He  took  up  his  hat  from  the  table  and  was  start 
ing  towards  the  door,  when  she  stopped  him.  She 
came  and  slipped  her  hand  shyly  but  firmly  under 
his  arm.  A  lovely  smile  lighted  her  face. 

"  Sam,"  she  whispered,  "  come  along  o1  me.  A've 
got  suppin'  tub  show  yuh." 

The  great  fellow,  dumb  with  surprise,  allowed 
himself  to  be  led  around  the  side  of  the  house,  up 
to  one  of  the  front  windows.  The  chintz  curtains 
inside  did  not  quite  meet,  and  they  could  see  the 
charming  room  beyond,  with  its  glow  of  lamp  and 
firelight,  its  bowls  of  daffodils  and  gleaming  books 
and  pictures. 

On  a  crimson  divan  near  the  fire  lay  Alice,  her 
blonde  hair  unfastened  and  falling  about  her  face. 
Gilman  was  seated  in  a  low  chair  beside  her,  a 
book  in  one  hand,  the  other  resting  between  his 
wife's  fragile  palms.  He  was  reading  to  her,  but 
every  now  and  then  they  looked  at  each  other  and 
smiled.  Sometimes  she  would  put  up  one  of  her 
hands  to  his  lips,  with  a  winning  gesture,  and  he 


104  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

would  kiss  it  softly  between  each  word.  Some 
times  it  was  his  hand  that  she  touched  to  her 
cheek.  Once  he  got  up  to  put  some  wood  on  the 
fire,  which  was  kept  burning,  although  it  was  so 
warm  without,  and  as  he  came  back  he  bent  over 
and  gathered  her  slight  figure  to  his  breast,  where 
she  clung  happily,  her  fingers  in  his  dark  curls. 
Once  he  kissed  her,  a  slow,  tender  kiss,  upon  the 
lips,  and  insisted  upon  drawing  the  coverlet  higher 
about  her  shoulders,  although  she  protested  that 
she  was  not  cold.  Then,  again,  he  began  to  read 
to  her.  They  could  not  hear  the  words,  but  from 
the  rhythmic  beat  of  his  voice  they  guessed  that 
it  was  "  varses  "  of  some  kind. 

"  Come  on — come  away,"  whispered  Tanis,  sud 
denly,  as  though  waking.  "  'Tain't  right  tuh  listen 
tuh  'em.  Come  away,  Sam." 

So  intense  had  been  their  absorption  into  those 
other  lives  that  she  was  as  unconscious  of  Sam's 
arm  about  her,  as  he  had  been  of  putting  it  there; 
but  now  as  she  turned  to  speak  to  him,  she  felt 
that  she  was  in  his  embrace.  This  time,  however, 
she  made  no  effort  to  escape. 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  105 

"  Dear  Sam,"  she  said,  still  under  her  breath, 
"  that's  what  /  calls  love.  Oh,  a  would  love  tuli 
be  loved  like  that!" 

He  was  still  very  gentle  and  awed,  but  he  could 
not  repress  a  smile  at  these  words. 

"Lawd!  honey,"  he  whispered  back,  "you 
mought  ez  well  look  furrer  a  whisky  bottle  tuh 
run  milk!  A  hain't  that  kynd,  an'"— he  paused 
and  looked  at  her  a  little  mischievously  in  the 
dawning  moonlight — "  a  done  reckon  you  favors 
thet  thai*  'ooman  nuther,  ez  much  ez  yuh  mought. 
Yuh  hain't  thj  kynd  men  loves  like  that,  muh 
prutty." 

"  But,  Sam,  'udn't  a  leetle  o'  that  mixed  in  wi' 
tk'  other  make  hit  all  th'  better  ?*' 

Sam  shook  his  head  rather  dubiously. 

"  Dunno,"  he  said,  honestly.  "  A  alluz  did  like 
muh  whisky  straight." 

"But  we  'oonian  folks,  Sam,  wre  likes  a  dash  o' 
milk  or  wrater  in  ourn.  An'  look  at  a  mint  julep, 
Sam!  Thet's  got  sugar  an'  mint  an'  water,  too,  in 
hit,  an'  yuh  fellers  certVy  does  love  a  good  julep. 
Oh!" — she  broke  off  suddenly,  resting  her  clasped 


106  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

hands  against  his  breast — "  ef  yuh  only  'ud  want 
tuh  be  gooder,  Sam!  ah'd  let  muhse'f  go  then! 
A'd  love  yuh  mo'n  a  gal  uvver  loved  a  man  befo'. 
since  th'  worl'  began." 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGEE.  107 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  WEEK  had  passed.  Again  Tanis  leaned 
at  the  open  kitchen  window.  Behind  her, 
in  the  shadow,  was  a  gleam  of  copper  and  brass 
and  newly -polished  tin.  The  white  muslin  cur 
tains  made  a  film  about  her  glowing  face.  She 
was  like  a  pink  peony  wreathed  in  morning  mist. 
In  the  black  mould  underneath  the  window,  pur 
ple  crocuses  were  springing,  with  here  and  there  a 
golden  one,  to  intensify  their  royalty.  The  apple 
trees  wrere  fairy  tents  of  blossom.  The  peach 
tree  branches  swayed  and  hummed  with  clinging 
bees.  Beyond,  the  mountains  rose  like  pyramids 
of  delicate  marble,  mottled  with  divers  greens, 
and  the  faint  crimson  of  the  red-bud.  Sky  and 
earth  seemed  blowing  gently  in  the  soft,  volumin 
ous  wind.  It  sent  waves  of  perfume  from  myriad 
wild  flowers  rippling  down  the  valley,  over  the 
warm  brooklet?,  across  the  stern  rampart  of  the 
hills.  The  clouds  seemed  to  curl  into  airy  folds 
beneath  it,  the  forests  swayed  tenderly,  and  the 


108  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

song  of  birds  trembled,  now  low,  now  loud,  as  the 
eddying  gusts  bore  them  forward  or  backward. 

It  was  like  an  Easter-tide  of  nature.  "  Spring 
is  risen — is  risen,  and  summer  is  binding  on  her 
golden  sandals.  Spring  is  risen,"  murmured  the 
mountain  streams;  4t  winter  is  in  the  grave,  and 
no  more  will  his  beard  of  icicles  choke  our 
sources  and  frighten  our  flags  from  blossoming." 

The  sun,  parting  the  gay  curtain  of  his  bed, 
looked  lovingly  upon  the  love-sick  earth.  The 
oaks  were  hale  and  young  again  with  rising  sap. 
Again  the  dog-wood  felt  an  ecstasy  of  bloom  and 
whitened  the  water  with  virginal  reflections.  On 
the  stag's  broad  front  the  antlers  were  downy,  as 
with  moss,  and  pliant  like  young  willow  twigs. 
The  eyes  of  the  doe  were  bright  and  liquid,  and 
her  flanks  softer  than  velvet.  Children's  voices 
sounded  gaily  through  the  valley.  The  ewes 
were  bleating  in  answer  to  the  new-born  lambs. 
Through  the  warm,  sweet-scented  air  the  pollen 
floated  like  specks  of  musty  gold. 

Tanis  dreamed  open-eyed  at  the  window,  and 
all  her  dreams  were  of  love.  "  Ef  he  war  only 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG  DIGGER.  109 

good,"  she  thought.  "  Ef  he  only  wanted  tuh  be 
good,  how  I  cud  love  him  !  How  I  cud  make  him 
love  me  back  !  Ef  hit  war  only  right,  and  he 
hones'  an'  meanin'  well  by  me,  how  I  cud  rest 
in  his  arms,  an'  give  him  back  his  kisses  !  How 
sweet  it  'ud  be,  to  kiss  him  an'  know  hit  'twant  a 
sin  !  His  eyes  be  bluer'n  them  little  flowers  thar  ! 
Td  kiss  'em  twel  they  shut,  same  as  th'  flowers 
do,  when  a  bee  tickles  'em.  I  cud  make  him 
trimble,  same  ez  them  peach  boughs  trimble  i'  th' 
wind,  though  he  do  be  suh  strong  an'  tall  !  He 
thinks  a  don'  keer — that  a'm  cole  an'  proud — that 
his  kisses  worrits  me  !  Oh,  how  s'prised  he'd  be 
ef  a  lem'  muhse'f  go  an'  loved  him,  like  a  yearns 
tub.  Oh,  Sam,  Sam!  muh  own  man,  ef  you  only 
wanted  tuh  be  good  !" 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  Sam  opened  the 
garden  gate  and  walked  towards  her.  His  flannel 
shirt  was  clean,  and  disclosed  fully  the  splendid 
modelling  of  chest  and  arms.  His  blue  eyes 
seemed  to  partake  of  the  universal  joyousness 
about  them.  He  walked  fast  and  vigorously,  so 
that  a  few  strides  brought  him  close  to  Tanis. 


110  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEE. 

"Honey,"  he  asked  in  a  triumphant  whisper, 
"  wliatclm  think  ?  A  ain't  teched  a  drap  o' 
whisky  serice  a  lars'  saw  yuh  !" 

"  Ain't  yuh,  Sara  ?" 

She  looked  more  like  a  peony  than  ever.  The 
little  white  kerchief  knotted  about  her  throat 
reminded  him  of  a  snow-wreath  on  a  flower.  He 
could  see  her  thin,  pink  cotton  gown  beat  with 
her  quick  breathing. 

"  A'm  a  tryin1  tuh  do  whut  yuh  wants,  Tanip," 
he  went  on.  Then  he  ventured  to  smooth  back 
a  stray  lock  and  tuck  it  behind  one  of  her  warm, 
downy  ears. 

"  A'm  a-tryin'  tuh  wanter  want  tuh  be  good." 

"Air  yuh?"  she  breathed,  not  daring  to  meet 
his  eyes.  "Air  yuh,  Sam?  Hit  cert'n'y  is  kynd 
o'  yuh." 

"But"  oh,  darlin',"  he  hurried  to  add,  "A 
cyarn't  he'p  thinkin'  t'ould  come  so  much  quicker 
ef  yud  he'p  me  long  wi'  a  bit  o'  love,  now  an' 
agin." 

She  took  his  great  hand  from  her  throat,  and 
pressed  it  between  both  her  own. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  Ill 

"A  does  love  yuh,  Sam,  an'  yuh  knows  hit." 

"But  tain't  th'  kynd  o'  love  a  wants,"  he 
urged,  breathlessly.  "A  wants  yuh  tuh  come 
tub  me,  same  ez  a  flame  turrer  a  match  when  hit's 
struck,  same  ez  a  bee  turrer  apple  tree.  A  wants 
yuh  tuh  git  love-mad,  same  ez  steers  git  water- 
mad,  and  bolt  fuh  me  thro'  ev'y  thin'  ez  lies 
a-tween  us.  Oh!  ma  own  gal,  gi'  me  one  kiss  !" 

He  drew  her,  panting  and  troubled,  to  his 
breast.  Their  eyes  darkened  on  each  other,  their 
breath  was  mingled,  and  then,  with  a  sudden 
effort,  she  wrenched  herself  away,  and  stood 
paling  and  reddening,  before  him,  her  eyes  on  her 
intertwisted  hands.  He  lounged  on  the  window- 
sill,  pulling  at  his  beard,  puzzled,  disappointed, 
but  not  angry. 

"Lawd!  but  yuh  be  tryin',"  he  said,  finally. 
"  Whut  med  yuh  ack  like  that,  honey?" 

"A — a— dunno.  Yo'  eyes  scared  me.  A — a 
scared  muhse'f.  A  don'  seem  tuh  be  me  when  a'm 
wi'  yuh,  Sam,  a  seem  tuh  be  you" 

il  Well,  will  yuh  come  walk  wi'  me  ?"  he  sug 
gested.  "A'll  promise  tuh  do  like  yuh  wants. 


112  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

A  know  the  pruttiest  holler  i'  th'  woods  fur  ten 
miles  'roun'.     Will  yuh  come  ?" 

"  A'd  love  tub  come,  Sam." 

"  Well,  come  then." 

"But  a  mus'  ax  Mis'  Gilman." 

"  Darn  Mis'  Gilman  !  You  am'  no  slave,  a  tek 
hit,  an'  she  ain'  yo'  keeper — air  she  ?" 

"  A'd  ruther  she'd  know,"  said  the  girl,  slowly. 

"Well,  cuss  hit  all,  go  tell  her  then,"  he  fumed. 

Tanis  came  back  quite  radiant. 

"She  says  a  ken  go.  She  says  ez  how  a  ken 
fix  us  up  a  snack  in  this  hyuh  barsket." 

While  she  arranged  the  luncheon  hamper,  he 
walked  up  and  down,  impatiently,  whistling  in 
numerable  variations  on  "  The  Mocking  Bird,"  but, 
as  she  came  towards  him  in  her  pink  and  white 
sun- bonnet,  with  the  basket  over  her  arm,  the  im 
patience  all  merged  into  one  vast  smile. 

"Honey,"  he  said,  regarding  her  delightedly, 
"  yuh  be  that  prutty  a  culdn't  trust  ole  Moses  his- 
se'f  wi'  yuh  !  Yuh  be  brighter'n  a  snake  wi'  a 
new  skin !  Yuh  be  prutty  'nuff  tuh  tu'n  th' 
Devil  interrer  a  Mithydist,  an'  a  Mithydist  in- 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGEK.  113 

terrer  a  devil.  A  feel  jess  like  eatin'  yuh  up,"  and 
he  clacked  his  strong  teeth  at  her. 

They  walked  along  the  high  road  to  the  Healing 
Springs,  and  then  turned  into  Lion  Gorge.  The 
warm  fumes  of  the  May  mounted  to  their  heads. 
Their  eyes  shone,  their  strong  hearts  pulsed  ve 
hemently.  They  made  excuses  to  take  the  basket 
from  each  other  every  few  yards,  that  their  long 
ing  hands  might  come  in  contact.  Above  them, 
the  vine-draped  rocks  rustled  against  a  sky  of 
egg-shell  blue.  The  torrent,  at  their  side,  swirled 
glistening  among  its  moss-greened  stones,  and 
made  the  clustering  cresses  quiver  gaily. 

"  Oh,  th'  spring  be  here  !*'  he  began  to  sing  in 
his  pleasant  bass,  and  she  joined  to  it  her  clear 
treble. 

"  Oh !  th'  spring  be  here, 
Wi'  th'  green  o'  th'  year 
An'  th'  wile  turkey's  gobble, 
An'  th'  deep  crick's  bobble, 
An'  th'  city  folks  a-comin', 
An'  th'  band  a  tum-tummin', 
An'  th'  fiddles  all  a-squealin', 
At  th'  Hot  an'  th'  Healin'." 


114  TANIS,    THE    BANG-DIGGER. 

It  made  a  good  march,  and  they  went  on  faster 
than  ever,  now  swinging  the  basket  between  them. 

"  Oh!  th'  Bang's  in  bloom, 
An'  tli'  Sang-gal's  at  the  loom, 
A-weavin'  her  a  shawl 
Fur  tuh  war  i'  th'  fall, 
When  th'  Sang  be  ripe  fuh  diggin', 
An'  th'  cider  hard  fuh  swiggin', 
An'  we  '  Snakes'  go  a-dealin' 
At  th'  Hot  an'  the  Healin' !" 

"  Yuh  cert'n'y  do  mek  up  good  varses,  Sam,"  she 
said,  admiringly.  "  Why  don't  yuh  mek  a  book 
o'  varses  an'  print  'em  ?" 

"  Sho  !"  he  said,  rather  grandly,  "  them  hain't 
nuthin'.  A  ken  talk  varses  like  them  thar  easy  ez 
breathin'.  A  mought  do  sup'n'  right  good,  ef  a 
sot  down  an'  scratched  muh  head,  though." 

They  had  now  reached  the  hollow,  of  which 
he  had  spoken,  but  between  them  and  its  loveliest 
nook  stretched  a  brawling  stream,  over  which  a 
pine  tree  had  been  thrown  for  a  bridge. 

"  Ken  yuh  walk  hit,  sugar,  or  urns'  a  cy'ar 
yuh  ?"  he  asked, 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  115 

Tanis  gave  her  rich,  roaring  laugh. 

"  G'long,  Sam  Rose  !  Ez  many  cricks  ez  yuh  is 
ben  see  me  crost !  Why,  a  cud  hop  over  that  thar 
tree  on  one  foot." 

"  Less  see  yuh,  then,"  replied  her  lover. 

"  Well — a  will,"  she  answered.  "  Only  a  mus' 
yank  off  these  hyuh  duds  fust."  And,  seating 
herself  on  the  grass,  she  unlaced  and  drew  off  her 
stout  boots,  handing  them  to  him. 

"My  Lawd,  but  ain't  that  good,  tho'?"  she 
cried,  joyously.  "  Warm'  shoes  is  like  warm' 
cosits  on  yuh  foots.  Yuh  dunno  how  good  'tis 
tuh  move  ev'y  toe,  'thout  hevin'  'em  'ginst 
sup'n'  !" 

With  a  cry  and  a  leap  she  was  on  the  slender 
pine  pole,  her  arms  outstretched,  her  muscular  feet 
gripping  the  rough  bark.  He  watched  her,  admir 
ingly,  but  with  some  anxiety. 

"Look  out!"  he  called,  warningly.  "Don'  th' 
water  mek  yo'  head  swim  ?" 

"Xaw,  hit  don't,"  she  called  back.  "A  feels 
like  a  wuz  'live  fuh  th'  fust  time  in  weeks.  Shoes 
cert'n'y  duz  mek  a  diffunce  in  a  bordy's  feelin's! 


116  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

Seems  like  a  cud  fly!  Seems  like,  ef  a  hel'  muh 
breath  an'  guv  a  good  kick,  a  cud  histe  muhse'f 
right  over  that  thar  mountin'!" 

She  gave  another  yell  of  sheer  delight  and,  fling 
ing  herself  in  the  moss  on  the  opposite  bank,  rolled 
about  like  a  colt.  Sam  crossed  somewhat  more 
cautiously,  as  he  had  not  taken  off  his  boots.  Then 
he  stood  looking  down  on  her,  with  the  proud  in 
dulgence  of  a  man  who  watches  the  playful 
writhings  of  a  young  panther  which  he  has  half 
tamed. 

"Tanis,"  he  said  suddenly,  "yuh  be  a  mountain 
gal,  yuh  be  wile  an'  na'chul  ez  them  vines  an' 
things  you're  a  rollin'  on.  Yuh  'on't  nuvver  git 
used  tub  livin'  onder  a  roof,  Tanis.  Yuh  'on't 
nuvver  larn  tuh  walk  easy  in  city  duds  V  shoes 
like  these  hyuh."  He  shook  contemptuously  the 
boots  which  he  still  held.  "  Yuh  be  free  an'  wilful 
ez  that  water  yonder,  yuh  'on't  nuvver  wuk  onder 
saddle  no  mo'n  a  wilecat  'ud.  Why  cyarn't  yuh 
love  me  an'  give  yuhse'f  tuh  me,  and  come  back 
tuh  the  hills  an'  be  happy  'n'  yo'  own  way?" 

Tanis,  half  ashamed  of  her  outburst,  was  sitting 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  117 

up  smoothing  her  roughened  hair.  He  held  out 
the  shoes  to  her  and  she  drew  them  on  in  silence, 
but  without  lacing  them  up. 

"A  said  a  wouldn't  pester  yuh,"  he  went  on, 
walking  at  her  side,  "  an'  a  won't,  but  a  do  wisht 
yu'd  mek  things  clarer  tuh  me." 

They  had  now  reached  the  cascades.  Walls  of 
high,  firm-tufted  rock  cast  a  drowsy  shadow  over 
the  stream  brawling  between  them.  Far  above 
shone  a  strip  of  milky  sky,  against  which  were 
outlined  the  dark  green  needles  of  pines,  the  deli 
cate  feathers  of  spruce  trees,  the  young  mealy 
foliage  of  sugar  maples.  The  boulders,  lying  in 
the  broad  bed  of  the  torrent,  were  vivid  as  with 
soaked  green  velvet,  and  sunken  among  rich  cush 
ions  of  cress. 

Tanis  leaped  out  upon  a  flat  stone  in  the  very 
middle  of  the  tumbling  foam,  and  in  an  instant 
Sam  was  close  beside  her.  Their  hands  touched, 
clasped,  and  thus  they  stood,  gazing  up  the  narrow 
passageway  of  rock  at  the  eager  water. 

"  That's  like  muh  love  f uh  yuh,  honey,"  he  ven 
tured  to  whisper.  "  Hit's  dark,  mebbe,  an'  hit  runs 


118  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK. 

rough,  but  hit's  a-goin'  tub  git  whar  hit's  boun' 
fuh,  yuh  kin  bet  on  that." 

"But  hit's  a-goin'  tub  git  smooth,  too,  arter  a 
while,  Sam,  down  i'  th'  valley.  Hit's  goin'  tub  git 
out  i'  th'  sunlight,  an'  run  along  peaceable  an' 
gentle." 

"Tanis!" 

"Yease,  Sam?" 

"  'Ud  yuh  like,  a  feller  tub  be  suh  darned  gentle 
an'  mealy-mouthed  wi'  yuh  all  th'  time  ?" 
.    "A   didn't   seh   nothin'    'bout    mealy-mouthed, 
Sam!" 

"'Ud  yuh  like  yo'  man  tub  olluz  ax  'mought  a?' 
an'  'moughn't  a?'  'Ud'n'  yuh  like  him  tub  pick 
yuh  up  sometimes — so" — he  caught  her  up  on  bis 
shoulder — "  an'  run  off  wi'  yuh — so  f  "  He  reached 
the  bank  in  a  few  agile  bounds  and  sat  down,  keep 
ing  her  on  his  knee,  although  she  stiffened  her  body 
rigidly  and  frowned. 

"Be  yub  mad  at  me,  Tanis ?" 

"Yease,  a  be." 

"Be  yub  reel  mad  at  me ?" 

"  Ob,  Sam,  ef  a  on'y  knowed  bow  long  yub'd  love 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  119 

me,  an'  how  much  yuh  meant  whut  yuh  sez  'bout 
wantin'  tuh  want  to  be  gooder  ! " 

"A  wants  anythin'  ez'll  mek  yuh  love  me  an' 
marh'y  me." 

"  But,  Sam,  marh'idge  is  like  a  cliff.  Men's  love 
an'  wimmin's  love  is  both  gotter  go  over  hit.  But 
seems  tuh  me,  ez  wimmin's  love  goes  over,  like 
that  water  at  th'  Fallin'  Springs — hit's  all  th'  prut- 
tier  'n'  whiter  fuh  hit.  But  men's  love — mos' 
men's  love — goes  over  like  a  gret  big  rock,  a 
knockin'  things  tuh  pieces,  an'  a  smashin'  of  hitse'f 
at  th'  bottom.  Hones'  Injun,  a  be  'fraid  o'  marh 
'idge,  Sam." 

"  Well,  a'll  tell  yuh  one  thing,  muh  prutty,  yuh 
be  th'  fust  gal  uvver  I  see  ez  &  wanted  tuh  marh'y." 

"  Be  a,  Sam  ?" 

"  Yuh  be  th'  fust  'ooman  uvver  went  tuh  muh 
head  wuss'n  a  drink.  A  b'leeve  th'  ve'y  thought 
o'  yuh'd  keep  me  from  freezin',  ef  a  wuz  lost  i'  th' 
snow.  Now  doncher  think  yuh  owes  me  supp'n 
fuh  not  drinkin'  furrer  a  week  ?" 

"  Hit  cert'n'y  did  mek  me  happy,  Sam." 

He  put  his  arms  about  her  and  drew  her  to  him. 


120  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Now,  yuh  mek  me  happy,"  he  whispered. 

She  trembled  all  over.  Love  and  the  spring 
were  in  her  wild  young  veins,  but  her  heart  was  as 
clear  as  a  star.  She  put  him,  gently,  yet  strongly 
from  her. 

"  A  don'  want  no  love-mekin'  yit,"  she  said. 
"  A  wants  yuh  to  prove  yuh  words.  A  don'  want 
tuh  do  nothin'  ez  Bill  'ouldri't  like— V  he  'ouldV 
like  this — hyuh." 

"  A  said  yuh  wuz  cole,"  he  muttered,  sullenly. 
She  flashed  out  at  him,  pale  and  indignant. 

"  A' in  not  cole!  Yuh  sham?  say  hit.  Jess  case 
a  shows  sense,  an'  'on't  do  ez  yuh  seh,  yuh  calls  me 
cole  !" 

"  An'  mean-tempered,"  he  put  in,  grimly. 

She  pressed  her  lips  hard  together  and  walked 
away  from  him.  He  watched  her  cross  the  pine- 
tree  bridge  and  plunge  into  the  woods  beyond.  As 
she  hurried  on,  dizzy  with  anger  and  disappoint 
ment,  his  mocking  voice  was  in  her  ears. 

"Thar's  wile  cats  i'  these  hyuh  woods,  but  a 
don'  reckon  yuh'll  mine  that,  bein'  kin,  ez  it 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  121 

She  said  nothing. 

"  Yuh  looks  tarnation  prutty  when  yuh're  mad," 
he  then  remarked. 

Still  she  did  not  answer. 

"  A  s'pose  yuh  thinks  yuh  kin  lead  me  on,  an' 
fling  me  off,  as  yuh  pleases,  an'  a'll  stan'  hit  'n'  go 
on  bein'  a  damn  whinin',  slobberin'  puppy  ?  " 

Still  silence. 

"  Hyuh  !  yuh  answer  me,  will  yuh?  "he  thun 
dered,  laying  his  hand  on  her  arm. 

She  shook  it  off. 

"By  Gawd!  a'll  mek  yuh  love  me!"  he  said, 
hoarsely,  with  clenched  teeth,  and  she  felt  herself 
caught  and  held,  her  head  bent  back,  furious, 
scorching  kisses  on  eyes,  lips,  throat,  shoulders. 
She  was  a  woman,  although  a  half  savage  one,  and 
she  began  to  sob  bitterly,  but  he  continued  to  kiss 
her,  until  his  mouth  was  salt  with  her  tears — mer 
ciless,  rough  caresses,  that  bruised  heart  and  soul, 
as  well  as  body. 

He  released  her  at  last,  a  very  devil  in  his  light 
eyes. 

"  Thar's  not  th'  gal  in  Heaven  or  out  ez  ken  play 


122  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-D1GGEK. 

farstV  loose  wi'  me,"  he  said,  threateningly,  but 
something  in  her  stricken  face  awed  him.  He 
turned  from  her  and  stood  silent,  stripping  the 
bark  from  a  cedar  tree  nearby.  Presently  he  felt 
a  soft  touch  on  his  arm. 

"  Sam,"  she  said,  "  a  knows  yuh  wuz  mad,  an' 
jess  a-tryin'  tuh  skeer  me,  an' — an' — a  fuhgives 
yuh,  Sam.  Will  yuh  tek  me  back  now  ?  An' — 
an' — please  don'  sell  much  tuh  me." 

He  looked  at,  her,  and  said,  curtly  : 

"  Th'  devil's  in  me,  Tan  is-,  an'  that's  all  about 
hit.  A'm  a  bad  lot.  A  reckon  yuh  knows  that, 
ez  well  ez  anybordy.  When  th'  devil  gits  up  in 
me  a  cyar'nt  down  him.  A  hain't  a  safe  man.  A'm 
everlarstin'  onreliable,  but  a  loves  yuh." 

"  A — a  reckon  yuh  be  right  bad,  Sam,"  she  said, 
slowly,  "  but  a'll  gi'  yuh  another  charnce.  On'y 
tek  me  home  now.  Mis'  Gilman'll  be  a-wonderin'." 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-D1GGER.  123 


CHAPTER  X. 

WHEN  they  reached  the  Gilmans'  gate  Tanis 
was  about  to  enter  silently,  but  Sam 
grasped  her  arm. 

"A'm  bad,  Tanis,  an'  a  reckon  muh  love's  bad, 
too,  but  a'rn  agoin'  tuh  hev  yuh,  one  way  or- 
ruther." 

She  looked  calmly  up  at  him. 

"  Well,  a  reckon  yuh  done  know  me  sVell  ez 
yuh  mought,"  she  said.  "Yuh  'on'i  hev  me 
'thouten  a  lets  yuh." 

"A  icill,  though!     A  swars  by  th'  tokin." 

"A'd  kill  muhse'f  fust." 

"  Naw.  You  mought  kill  yuhse'f  arterwards, 
but  not  fust." 

"Yuh  cyarn't  do  hit.  Yuh  be  strong,  but 
supp'n  i'  me  tells  me  I  be  stronger." 

"But  yuh  loves  me." 

"  Yease,  a  loves  yuh.      Mo'  shame  tuh  me." 

He  took  her  face  between  both  hands  and  gazed 
hungrily  into  her  eyes. 


124  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Why  does  yuh  love  me,  beauty  ?" 

"  Supp'n  i'  yuh  draws  me.  Hit  draws  me  like 
th'  sun  sucks  up  water — like  th'  drarff  draws  th' 
flame  up  th'  chimbly." 

"An'  yuh  holes  back,  jess  caze  a'm  bad?" 

"Thet's   hit." 

He  smiled. 

"Want  me  tuh  tell  yuh  supp'n',  honey?" 

"Mh— hm." 

"Hit's  th'  very  cussedness  in  me  ez  draws 
yuh." 

"Aw,  no!  noT 

"  A  swar  'tiz.  Wimmins  is  like  that.  A  bet 
Eve  loved  Cain  a  darn  sight  mo'  nor  uvver  she 
loved  Abel." 

"He  wuz  her  fust-bawn." 

"  That  hain't  nuthin'.  She  loved  him  mo',  any 
how.  Didn'n'  yuh  love  that  thar  pesky  leetle 
lame  squr'l  o'  yo'n  better  nor  all  th'  pretty  beases 
thet  Bill  an'  me  uvver  brung  yuh  ?" 

She  moved  restlessly. 

"That  wuz  caze  he  couldnV  he'p  hisse'f." 

"An'  yuh  thinks  yuh  ken  he'p  me?      A've  a 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  125 

mine  tuh  tell  th'  stark-nekkit  truth  fuh  onct  i' 
muh  life." 

"Aw  yease  !    tell  hit,  Sara." 

"  Then  spread  them  prutty  years  o'  yourn  wide, 
fuh  hyuh  be  a  truth  ez'll  fill  'em  chuck-full.  A 
loves  yuh,  chile,  but  yuh  hain't  th'  fust  a've 
loved,  an'  a  hain't  got  no  cause  tuh  think  yuh'll 
be  th'  larst.  A  thinks  now  ez  no  har  be  wuth 
lookin'  at  'thout  hit  shines  like  a  bay  hawse  in  th' 
sun,  but  mebbe,  come  a  yeah,  a'll  be  ez  mad  fuh 
har  ez  is  blacker'n  a  fresh-split  lump  o'  coal.  A 
loves  yuh  so  a  hain't  teched  whisky  furrer  week, 
but  muh  tickler's  a-bu'nin'  muh  porkit  now,  an' — 
mebbe  a  wone  hole  out  another  week.  A  loves 
yuh,  but  a've  got  a  'tarnal  thust  fuh  liquor. 
Seems  like  a'd  let  yuh  stick  me  like  a  pig  fuh  one 
long  kiss  on  that  mouf  o'  yo'n,  but  mebbe,  come  a 
week,  a  'on't  feel  so  no  mo.'  A  tells  yuh  a'll 
marh'y  yuh,  but  a  reckon  ef  a  cud  git  yuh  lthout 
marh'y'n'  yuh,  a'd  be  moughty  glad.  Ef  we  had 
chilluns  a'd  beat  'em,  sho'  'nuff,  a  reckon,  an' 
mebbe  a'd  beat  you.  Muh  love's  right  smart  like 
bar  love,  a  reckon.  A'd  like  tuh  hug  yuh  twel 


126  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

a  kilt  yuh.  Ez  fuh  goodness,  thar  hain't  'nuff  in 
me  tub  mek  a  *  Amen '  outer.  Thar,  a  lay  a've 
tole  th'  truth  this  time." 

She  was  silent,  and  then  said  slowly  : 

"  A'll  gi'  yuh  another  charnce.  Truttis  good, 
an'  a  lay  yuh  tole  'nuff  o'  thet  thar,  jess  now,  tuh 
'  amen '  a  book  o'  pra'rs.  Now  g'long,  an'  good 
night." 

He  went  off,  whistling  rather  thoughtfully,  and 
she  returned  to  the  house,  with  the  lunch-basket 
still  full  upon  her  arm. 

Ten  days  afterward  Alice  sent  her  with  some 
beef-tea  and  cream  to  the  cabin  of  an  old  man, 
half  way  up  the  Warm  Springs  mountain.  A  pig 
hustled  by  her  as  she  entered,  and  some  hens  were 
making  themselves  cosy  in  the  warm  ashes  on  the 
hearth. 

The  sick  man  lay  on  his  back  among  a  mass  of 
rags  and  corn-shucks.  She  thought  that  he  was 
dead  at  first,  he  was  so  still  and  waxy-white,  his 
wide  eyes  staring  up  at  a  hole  in  the  roof,  but,  as 
she  came  toward  him,  he  said  feebly: 

44  'S'that  you,  Doc  ?" 


TAXI?.    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  127 

"  Naw,  suh,"  she  answered.  "  Hit's  me — Tanis 
Gribble.  A've  brung  you  some  beef-juice  V  cream 
from  Mis'  Oilman,  r*  th'  valley.  Be  yuh  in  much 
mis'ry,  suh  t" 

"  Naw,  a  been't.  A  thought  t'war  th'  doctor 
wi'  mo'  truck.  Did  yuh  see  muh  Susy  ez  yuh 
come 'long?  A  be  mortal  thusty!  Susy,  she  be 
a  goodish  gal,  but  she  air  too  yorng  tub.  feel  fuh 
th'  ole." 

"'Udn't  yuh  like  a  fire,  an'  thet  thar  hole  i'  th' 
roof  stopped  up,  suh  ?" 

';  Xaw !  Let  be,  let  be.  A'd  like  a  drink  o* 
suppV,  though,  fus'rate." 

Tanis  poured  out  some  of  the  beef-tea  into  a 
cup,  and  he  sucked  it  up  with  noisy  eagerness. 
As  he  was  drinking,  the  doctor  entered. 

"  Why,  Joe,"  he  said,  cheerily,  after  nodding  to 
Tanis,  and  feeling  the  old  man's  pulse  and  fore 
head,  "you're  better,  man.  The  fever's  broken. 
You're  good  for  twenty  years  yet." 

"Yease,  yease,  a  knowed  a  war  better,  soon  ez 
them  two  greenish  stars  parst  onder  th'  moon. 
A've  been  a-watchin'  'em  fuh  three  weeks  now! 


128  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

Thet  thar  truck  yuh  guv  me  didn'  do  me  a  bit  o' 
good;  a'd  a  tho'd  hit  i'  th'  pig-trough  ef  yuh 
hedden'  stood  by  an'  watched  me  swaller  hit." 

The  doctor  laughed  good-naturedly. 

"So  that's  why  you  wouldn't  let  me  mend  that 
hole  in  your  roof,  hey  ?  You've  been  lying  here 
watching  those  stars." 

"  Yease,  Doc,  thet  be  hit.  You're  a  moughty 
good  man,  Doc,  an'  we  mountain  folks  sots  a  heap 
by  yuh.  But  thet  thar  truck  o'  yo'n  ain'  wuth  a 
rotten  punk'n  shell." 

The  doctor  laughed  again. 

"Well,"  he  said>  "I'm  mightily  obliged  to 
those  stars  for  passing  under  the  moon  just  in  the 
nick  of  time.  But  where's  Susy  ?  Is  this  one  of 
her  friends,  come  to  wait  on  you  ?" 

"Naw;  thet  be  a  gal  fum  th'  valley.  A  dunno 
whar  be  Susy.  Ole  folks  an'  sickness  tuhgerrer 
be  moughty  hard  on  a  yorng  gal.  A  reckon  she 
hev  gone  out  tuh  git  a  mou'ful  o'  fresh  air." 

"  But,  Joe,  you  oughtn't  to  be  left  alone,  you 
know.  I  don't  like  to  go  away  until  Susy  comes 
back." 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  129 

Tanis  came  forward,  shyly. 

"I'll  stay  wi'  him,  suh,"  she  said.  *'A'd  like 
tuh." 

"You're  a  nice,  good-hearted  girl,"  remarked 
the  doctor,  heartily,  "and  I  wish  you  would." 
He  drew  her  aside.  "  You  mustn't  tell  him  I  said 
so,  but  that  granddaughter  of  his  isn't  worth  her 
salt.  She's  forever  gadding,  and  if  my  son  and  I 
hadn't  nursed  the  old  fellow  through  the  worst, 
he'd  be  dead  as  a  door-nail  by  this  time." 

"  I'll  watch  him,  suh.  Tell  me  whut  tuh  do, 
an'  a'll  do  hit  faithful.  On'y  a  cyarn't  stay  but 
twel  sun-down." 

The  doctor  patted  her  shoulder,  approvingly. 

"  You're  a  good  girl,"  he  repeated,  "that  you 
are.  I'd  like  to  know  your  name." 

She  told  him,  and  then  he  explained  to  her  what 
she  was  to  do. 

"Before  I  go,"  he  ended,  "just  run  to  the 
spring  and  fetch  some  fresh  water.  There  isn't  a 
drop  in  the  bucket,  and  he'll  be  sure  to  want 
some." 

Tanis  took  the  bucket  and  started  down  a  steep, 


130  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

weed-grown  hill,  to  the  spring.  As  she  stood 
still  for  a  moment,  to  look  about  her,  she  heard 
a  low  murmur  of  voices,  and,  stepping  forward, 
saw,  in  a  pretty,  vine-cushioned  dimple  just 
below  her,  the  figure  of  a  man  and  woman. 
All  the  blood  in  her  body  seemed  to  surge  into 
her  throat.  For  an  instant,  she  could  not  see 
or  hear.  Then  the  man's  words  reached  her 
distinctly  : 

"  Uv  cose  a  loves  yuh  !  Whut  yuh  takin'  on 
'bout  ?  Ud  a  ack  like  a  does  ef  a  did'n'  love 
yuh  ?" 

"  Aw,  Sam !  Then  kiss  me  again  !  Lawd  ! 
Lawd  !  but  Grandpap  ud  brek  e'v'y  bone  in  muh 
bordy  ef  he  knowed  hit !" 

"Yuh  jess  lemme  ketch  him  huttin'  one  o'  these 
hyuh  sweet,  leetle  bones,  an'  a'd  choke  out  whut 
breath  he's  got  lef  twixt  muh  finger'n  thumb." 

"  Aw,  Sam !  Yuh  be  suh  strong  !  A  ain' 
nuvver  seed  a  feller  ez  big  ez  yuh  be  !  An'  yo' 
eyes  be  bluer'n  chiny  !  Aw,  Sam,  a  loves  yuh  ! 
a  loves  yuh  !  an'  a've  hed  muh  chice  o'  fellers, 
too.  But  they  ain'  none  on  'em  got  they  way 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  131 

wi'  me,  savin'  you.  A\v,  dont!  Yuh  huts  me 
when  you  kisses  me  like  that !  Be  a  truly  th' 
prutties'  gal  yuh  uvver  seed,  like  yuh  said,  jess 
now?  A  use  tuh  hate  muh  har  tell  you  called 
hit  prutty.  'Twas  so  black  an'  curly  hit  minded 
me  uv  a  nigger's." 

"  Well,  sot  still  an'  lemme  kiss  th'  curls  out." 

Tanis  was  quivering  from  head  to  foot,  but 
she  managed  to  walk  quietly  past  them,  rinse  her 
bucket,  fill  it  and  return  calmly.  Her  skirts 
actually  brushed  them,  as  she  passed. 

Before  she  had  gone  a  mile  on  her  homeward 
way,  that  afternoon,  however,  Sam  overtook  her. 
His  eyes  were  lighter  and  harder  than  ever,  his 
face  pale. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  falling  into  her  step,  "  a  reckon 
yuh  thinks  yuh've  done  wi'  me  now" 

As  was  her  habit,  on  such  occasions,  she  made 
no  reply.  He  tried  another  tack. 

"  When  a  feller's  starvin'  and  steals  a  bit  o' 
bread  ev'n  th'  preachers  ain'  suh  moughty  hard 
on  him.  Ef  yuh  will  starve  me  yuh'll  hev  to 
bide  th'  consekences." 


132  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

Still  no  answer.  He  stopped  suddenly  and 
jerked  her  about,  so  that  she  faced  him. 

"Look  at  hyuh,"  he  demanded,  savagely. 
"  Doncher  know  a'm  a  bad  ky'nd  tuh  fool  wi'  ?" 

Her  expression  did  not  change. 

"I hain't  afeart  o'  yuh,"  she  said. 

"  D n  yuh  !  A  know  yuh  hain't !  Thet's 

jess  hit.  Folkes,  ole  an'  yorng,  beeg  an'  leetle, 
hev  ben  afeart  o'  me,  nigh  all  muh  life.  An'  you 
now,  a  sprout  uv  a  gal  ez  a  cud  brek  i'  two  wi' 
muh  nekkit  hans,  you  dars  me,  an'  jaws  me,  an' 
tormints  me  ez  yuh  pleases.  But  a  wone  stan' 
hit.  Yuh  hyuh  ?  A  wone  stan'  hit  !" 

"  jTain'  afeart  o'  yuh,"  she  repeated,  coldly. 

"  D'yuh  think  a  loves  that  orgly  hussy  a  Joe 
Simmons'  ?" 

"A  heard  yuh  seh  so." 

"  But,  does  yuh  think  hit  ?" 

She  looked  him  steadily  in  the  eyes. 

"A  think  yuh  done  know  whut  love  means." 

"  Yuh  thinks  that,  does  yuh  ?" 

"  Yease,  a  thinks  hit." 

"  Why  ?" 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  133 

"  Why  ?"  she  repeated,  her  voice  suddenly  loud 
with  passion.  "  Why?  Gaze  even  a  brute-beers' 
be  true  tuh  th'  mate  hit's  chuz.  Even  a — "  she 
broke  off,  laying  her  finger  to  her  lips.  The  wind 
was  blowing  toward  them,  and,  on  the  hill-side, 
among  the  juicy,  waving  ferns,  a  stag  was 
crouched,  the  doe  beside  him.  The  late  sunlight 
gilded  his  splendid  antlers  and  made  the  doe's 
white  scut  and  breast  gleam  like  spun  silver. 
About  them  glittered  a  gauzy  swarm  of  gnats. 
The  doe's  delicate  head  rested  upon  her  mate's 
shoulder,  and  he  was  gently  caressing  her  throat 
with  his  flexile  tongue.  A  poplar  tree  spread  cur 
tain-like  above  them,  and  among  its  whispering 
foliage  an  oriole  was  singing  to  its  mate.  The  doe 
stretched  her  soft  sides  happily  and  gazed  with 
eyes  of  languid  satisfaction — eyes  brimmed  with 
that  innocence  of  dumb  creatures  so  exquisitely 
touching  to  those  that  love  them.  There  was  a 
sound  of  falling  water,  of  wings,  of  the  feet  of 
small,  scampering  creatures.  The  stag  reared  his 
head  suddenly  and  listened.  In  an  instant  the  doe 
was  on  her  knees,  her  dark  eyes  big  with  alarm. 


134  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Thar,"  whispered  Tanis.  "  Thet  deer  knows 
mo'  'bout  love  nor  uvver  you  will." 

The  wind  had  changed.  It  now  blew  from  them 
toward  the  lovely  creatures  on  their  couch  of  ferns. 
In  a  flash  they  were  up  and  away,  bruising  the 
wild-flowers  to  richer  perfume,  breaking  the  under 
growth  with  swift,  sharp  hoofs.  The  oriole  flew 
after  them,  shaking  the  pale  sunlight  from  its 
wings. 

"  That  war  love,"  she  said,  smiling  at  him,  with 
white  lips.  "  That  war  reel  love." 

A  sob  broke  from  her.  "  Oh,  Gawd  !"  she  said, 
lifting  upward  her  clasped  hands.  "  Why  be  mens 
suh  bad  ?  Why  be  a  brute-beas'  better'n  some 
mens  ?" 

Sam  stood  watching  her,  sullenly,  half  awed, 
half  resentful.  She  turned  to  him  again  : 

"  Walk  home  wi'  me,"  she  said,  gently.  "  A've 
supp'n  tuh  guv  tuh  yuh.  Walk  home  wi'  me, 
Sam,  an'  be  ez  kynd  ez  na'chur'll  let  yuh.  Thar's 
supp'n  ez  a  mus*  seh  tuh  yuh." 

They  walked  side  by  side,  in  silence.  Once, 
glancing  at  her  askance,  he  saw  that  big,  slow 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGEB.  135 

tears  were  falling  clown  her  cheeks,  but  he  hard 
ened  his  heart  against  her. 

When  they  reached  the  kitchen  the  last  radiance 
of  the  sun  was  tracing  distorted  reflections  of  the 
landscape  without  in  the  rounds  of  the  great  brass 
and  copper  pans  hanging  along  the  wall.  The 
branches  of  dog- wood  in  a  brown-stone  jug  on  the 
table  were  beginning  to  droop  like  the  wings  of 
dead,  white  moths.  Sleepy  peepings  and  cuddling 
noises  came  from  under  the  wings  of  brooding 
hens.  The  cows  were  lowing  to  be  milked,  and 
the  calves,  penned  from  them,  druned  plaintively. 

The  girl  sat  down  on  one  side  of  the  kitchen 
table  and  motioned  Sam  to  seat  himself  opposite 
her.  He  obeyed,  like  one  hypnotized.  For  a  mo 
ment  she  let  her  face  rest  upon  her  clasped  hands. 
She  was  very  quiet,  her  cheeks  and  lips  colorless. 
One  of  the  great  copper  pans  on  the  wall  behind 
her  made  a  background  for  her  head,  like  the  con 
ventional  halo  in  old  pictures.  Her  breath  came 
slow  and  deep,  and  she  paused  often  between  her 
words. 

"Sam,"   she   began.      Her   voice   faltered,  and 


136  TANIS,    THE   SANG-DIGGER. 

again  she  let  her  face  sink  upon  her  hands. 
"  Sam,"  she  then  said,  in  a  braver  tone,  "  A  hev 
loved  you,  Sam,  a  hev  loved  you  true.  A  fought 
agin  hit,  but  hit  seemed  like  hit  warn't  no  use  tuh 
fight.  A  knowed  ez  how  Bill  'udn't  want  me 
tuh  love  yuh,  but  hit  warn't  no  use.  A  knowed 
yuh  wuz  bad,  but  thet  didn't  stop  muh  lovin'  yuh. 
Hit  seemed  like  a  belonged  tuh  yuh,  same  ez  yuh 
gun  an'  yuh  dawg  did — like  a  war  part  o'  yuh,  same 
ez  yuh  han'  war.  A  knowed  yuh  war  bad,  but  a 
thought  a  felt  goodness  in  yuh.  A  thought  ez 
how  a  could  larn  yuh  tuh  down  th'  bad,  an'  HP 
th'  good.  A  war  like  a  mother  wi'  a  lame  chile. 
A  thought  ez  how  yuh  cud  be  he'p'd  tuh  walk 
straight.  A  come  down  hyuh,  tuh  these  hyuh 
folks,  fust,  tuh  git  away  fum  yuh,  an'  then,  leetle 
by  leetle,  a  got  tuh  wishin'  tuh  larn  tuh  be  mo' 
like  'em,  mo'  gentle  i'  muh  talk,  mo'  kynd  tuh 
other  folks,  tuh  know  mo'  'bout  Gawd.  Jess  tuh 
he'p  yuh,  Sam  ;  jess  tuh  know  mo'  how  tuh  he'p 
yuh,  an'  mek  th'  good  i'  yuh  grow,  an'  th'  badness 
swivel.  An'  a  lamed  whut  reel  love  is  a-watchin' 
them.  A  lamed  whut  a'd  felt  tuh  be  th'  truth — 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG  DIGGER.  137 

thet  love  ain'  jess  want  it  i1 ;  thet  jess  tub  long  tub 
kiss  a  man  ain'  no  sign  o'  reel  love  ;  tbet  tub  feel 
yo'  beart  a-scorcbin'  in  yuh,  caze  o'  bim,  warn't 
no  true  sign  ;  tbet  tbar  war  supp'n'  better  nor 
tbet.  Supp'n'  ez  'ud  keep  yub  lovin'  bim  jess  tb' 
same  ef  be  got  crippled  or  sickly,  or  bed  bis  eyes 
tore  out.  Supp'n'  ez  'ud  mek  yub  love  him  even 
mo1  ef  be  wuz  tub  git  sickly  an'  leave  tb'  hardest 
wuk  fub  yub  tub  do.  Supp'n'  ez  'ud  mek  yub 
love  tb'  ve'y  pain  ez  guv  yub  a  cbile  o'  bis'n. 
Supp'n'  ez  'ud  mek  yub  know  yub'd  stay  a  widder 
fub  bis  sake,  an'  be  glad  fub  tb'  loneliness  ez  'ud 
give  yub  peace  tub  pornder  on  wbut  be  war  tub 
yub  'fore  be  died.  A  larned  all  tbet,  Sam,  an'— 
an' — a  larned  tub  love  yub  mo'  an'  mo',  twell  hit 
war  like  a  gret  tree,  a-growiu'  an'  a-spreadin'  i' 
mub  beart.  Mub  breas'  seemed  like  bit  war  fulled 
up  wi'  tb'  branches,  an'  birds  seemed  a-singin'  in 
'em,  an'  flowers  a-blowin'  on  'em,  same  ez  ef  tb7 
Spring  war  in  me,  too,  like  bit  Avar  i'  tb'  valley. 
An'  a  tried  tub  larn  yuh  tbet,  Sam.  Oh,  a  tried 
suh  bard  !  But  a  cyarn'  mek  yub  feel  thet,  no 
mo'n  a  ken  mek  you  know  tb'  tormint  ez  is  grin<l- 


138  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

in'  me  down  now,  this  minute,  ez  a  talks  tub 
yuh.  Mebbe  supp'n'll  larn  yuh,  some  day.  Meb- 
be  yub'll  git  crippled  or  bline,  or — or — mebbe 
some  other  'ooman'll  know  better  how  tub  larn 
yuh,  caze  'tain'  i'  me  tub  larn  yuh.  A  thought  a 
cud;  a  used  tub  seh  to  muh  own  heart  ez  how  a 
knowed  a  cud.  But  thet's  done  wi',  now.  Meb 
be  ef  a  hedn'  seemed  suh  prutty  tub  yuh,  meb 
be  ef  muh  lips  hedn'  been  suh  red,  rnebbe — 
mebbe — but  whut's  th'  use  o'  '  mebbe'  ?  Hit's 
a  pizen  wud  tub  use,  in  a  sartin  thing.  Whut 
a  knows  is,  thet  yuh  done  love  me  wi'  reel  love. 
Why,  ef  yub  bed  loved  me  fuh  one  week,  fuh 
one  day,  fuh  one  minute,  even,  yuh'd  a  died  'fore 
yuh'd  a  kissed  thet  gal  up  th'  mountin— yuh'd  a 
cut  yo'  th'oat  'fore  yuh'd  a  tole  her  them  wuds. 
Oh,  Sam  !  them  vurry  wuds  ez  yuh're  fooled  me 
wi'  sub  often.  But  now  hit's  over,  an'  a  knows 
hit's  over,  an'  a  wants  yuh  tub  know  a  knows. 
An'  a  wants  us  tub  part  peaceable.  A  wants  yuh 
tub  feel  th'  ain'  no  spite  nor  meanness  i'  muh 
heart  to'ds  yuh,  nor  to'ds  thet  po'  gal.  An'  a 
wants  yuh  tub  promise  me  supp'n',  jess  caze  a  hev 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  139 

loved  yuh  suh  true,  but  mo'  fuh  yo'  own  sake.  A 
prays  yuh,  i'  th'  name  o'  Gawd,  tuh  promise  me, 
Sam.  Will  yuh  ?" 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  to  him  across  the 
table,  and  fixed  him  with  her  dark,  hopeless  eyes. 

"  Yuh'll  promise  me,  'on't  yuh,  Sam  ?'' 

"Yease,  go  on,"  he  said,  huskily.  The  hand 
with  which  he  clasped  hers  was  cold  and  moist  as 
her  own,  but  neither  noticed  it.  Their  eyes  were 
deep  in  each  other's  souls. 

"Then  promise  me,  promise  me "  Her 

voice  choked,  and  it  was  between  thick  sobs  that 
she  said  :  "  Promise  me  not  tuh  harm  that  gal  ez 
yuh  war  talkin'  tuh,  this  evenin'.  Oh,  promise 
me  that  !  Somehow,  a  couldn't  bear  hit.  Some 
how,"  she  could  not  speak,  and,  drawing  her  hand 
from  his,  put  it  again  to  her  face  and  cried  bit 
terly  for  some  moments. 

The  man  sat  like  a  stone.  His  teeth  were 
clenched.  His  eyes  stared  unseeingly  before  him. 

"  A  promise  yuh,"  he  said  at  last.  Then  she  got 
up  and  came  over  beside  him. 

"  A — a  ain'  got  no  fitten  wuds  tuh  thank  yuh 


140  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

wi',"  she  whispered.  He  felt  her  draw  back  his 
heavy  hair  and  kiss  him  twice  upon  the  forehead. 
Then  she  went  to  the  cupboard  and  took  down  a 
bottle  of  cooking-wine  and  two  glasses.  She 
poured  some  of  the  wine  into  each  glass,  and  then 
dropped  into  them  ten  drops  of  a  clear,  yellow 
liquid,  from  a  little  phial  which  she  drew  from 
the  breast  of  her  gown.  For  a  moment  she  stood 
still,  shaken  by  a  passion  of  silent  grief.  Then, 
mastering  herself,  went  back  to  the  table  and 
placed  one  glass  before  him,  keeping  the  other  in 
her  hand. 

"A — a  wants  yuh  tuh  drink  tuh  our  good-will 
to'ds  each  other,"  she  said,  "  an' — an' — tuh  her 
ez'll  mebbe  mek  yuh  good,  some  day.  A  wants 
yuh  tuh  drink  tuh  a  kynd  partin'  twix'  us,  an'  tuh 
all  we  loves  an'  ez  loves  us.  An'  tuh  Bill."  The 
utterance  of  her  brother's  name  broke  down  the 
last  barrier  of  her  wretchedness.  She  flung  her 
self  on  her  knees  beside  Sam,  tearing  the  glass 
from  his  listless  fingers  and  pushing  the  one  that 
she  held  far  from  her. 

"  Oh,   hoi'  me  tuh  yuh  heart,  jess  once  !"  she 


TAXIS.    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  141 

sobbed.  "  Oh,  my  Gawd  !  A'd  ax  yuh  tub  kiss 
good-bye,  but  a'd  seem  tub  feel  tbat  otber 
'ooman's  lips  a-tween  us." 

He  held  her  convulsively,  and  she  clung  about 
his  neck  with  all  the  might  of  her  strong  arms. 

"  A  hev  loved  yuh  !  oh,  a  hev  loved  yuh  !"  she 
sobbed,  the  pent-up  bitterness  and  disappointment 
of  her  heart  surging  into  one  cry  of  utter  woe. 
"  Oh,  my  Gawd  !  a  does  love  yuh  !"  And  forget 
ful  of  all  else,  save  that  they  were  to  part  for 
ever,  forgetful  of  his  treachery,  of  that  other 
woman,  whose  lips  had  been  pressed  to  his  only  an 
hour  ago,  she  kissed  him  desperately,  heart- 
brokenly,  as  women  kiss  their  dead,  or  the  grass 
that  grows  above  the  earth  which  covers  them. 
Then  blind,  staggering,  she  groped  for  the  two 
glasses  and  put  one  again  into  his  hand. 

"  Drink  !  drink  I'1  she  said,  feverishly.  "  Hit's 
th'  lars'  thing  a'll  ever  ax  yuh  tub  do.  Drink 
tuh  all  them  things  a  tole  yuh.  Quick,  like  I 
does !" 

Each  lifted  a  glass,  at  the  same  time,  and  then 
set  them  together,  empty,  upon  the  table.  They 


142  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

gazed  upon  each  other,  but  in  their  pale  faces 
was  only  the  grim  look  that  is  left  by  sore  grief 
or  some  mortal  illness. 

"Now,"  she  said,  trying  to  part  her  stiff  lips, 
in  a  smile,  "  that  be  all,  savin'  tub  say  good-bye." 

She  held  out  her  hand,  and  he  grasped  it,  just  in 
time  to  save  her  from  falling  heavily  upon  the 
floor. 

When  she  came  to  herself,  the  stars  were 
winking  in  the  dark  frame  of  the  window,  and  a 
chill  wind  stirring  the  white  curtains,  as  with  a 
ghostly  life. 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  143 


CHAPTER  XL 

had  there  been  a  more  exquisite  day 
in  the  Warm  Springs  valley.  The  wheat- 
fields  spread  like  wind-blown  carpets  of  precious 
stuff,  in  which  the  warp  was  malachite  and  the 
woof  silver.  Spiders  hung  their  jeweled  webs 
from  flower  to  flower.  Young  birds,  learning  to 
flv,  whirred  twittering  to  the  ground  among  show 
ers  of  loosened  petals  from  the  fruit-trees  where 
their  home  nests  had  been  built.  Against  a  sky 
of  pearl  and  turquoise  the  peach  blossoms  wavered, 
like  morning  clouds  in  love  with  noon.  Here 
gleamed  a  meadow,  azure  from  fence  to  fence  with 
blue  thistles  ;  there  dazzled  another,  white  with 
ox-eyed  daisies  as  with  a  sheet  of  snow.  The 
mountains  resembled  the  walls  of  Eden,  all  matted 
with  the  glistening  leaves  of  the  rhododendrons 
and  its  glomes  of  airy  pink.  Beyond  them  one 
saw,  in  fancy,  the  wide  streams,  shallow  enough 
to  let  a  fairy  wade  without  wetting  her  gauzy 
kirtle,  many-colored  as  a  humming-bird,  clear  and 


144  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

bright  as  though  with  floating  stars.  One  imag 
ined  the  spiky  palms,  the  young  pomegranate  trees 
in  scarlet  flower,  the  oranges  dozing  among  their 
blossoms,  the  eastern  vines,  the  lush  grass,  taller 
than  a  fair  woman,  and  swaying  with  fragrant  tas 
sels  as  golden  as  her  hair.  White  hinds  with  sil 
ver  hoofs,  like  the  hind  of  Diana,  drank  from  those 
waters.  More  than  one  pair  of  happy  lovers  wan 
dered  under  those  palms  and  pomegranates  and  ate 
unchidden  from  the  tree  of  life. 

At  least  these  were  some  of  the  fancies  that 
drifted  through  the  mind  of  Alice  Gilman  as  she 
rode  along  a  Jane  overarched  by  blowing  apple 
trees  and  bordered  by  half-ruined  stone  walls, 
which  made  her  think  longingly  of  Massachusetts 
and  its  green,  rock-roughened  hills. 

The  mountain  air  had  begun  to  tinge  her  clear 
skin  with  pink.  Her  eyes  shone  and  her  curly 
blonde  hair  gave  a  youthful  look  to  the  contour  of 
her  face.  She  was  even  girlish  in  her  blue  shirt 
waist  and  brown  riding  skirt.  Tanis  walked  at 
the  head  of  the  lazy  white  horse.  Her  chestnut 
braids  were  tied  with  black  ribbon  and  there  was 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  145 

a  belt  of  it  about  her  waist.  Her  gown  of  white 
cotton  gleamed  with  reflected  lights,  cast  from 
the  grass  and  buttercups  over  which  they  were 
passing,  and  which  also  glowed  upon  the  mare's 
white  belly.  Tanis  had  grown  thinner  of  late  ; 
her  fine  jaw  was  squarer  ;  brownish  stains  dark 
ened  her  under  and  upper  lids,  giving  her  eyes  a 
liquid,  wistful  look,  and  bringing  out  the  white 
ness  of  her  forehead. 

"  Where  is  it  you're  going  to  take  me  ?"  asked 
Alice,  presently. 

"  Didn'  yuh  want  tuh  see  th'  view  from  th' 
Warm  Springs  mountin  ?"  replied  the  girl.  Her 
voice  sounded  listless.  "  Thar's  a  good  road  fuin 
here." 

"  And  is  the  view  really  so  beautiful  ?" 

"  Well,  yuh  see,"  answered  Tanis,  "  I'd  think  so, 
anyhow.  Seems  like  a'd  sucked  muh  vurry  life 
from  these  hyuh  mountins — like  they'd  bawned 
me  intuh  th'  worl'.  A  reckon  I\l  think  hit  all 
beautiful,  ef  'twar  pintly  hij'us.  But  strangers 
teks  on  over  hit." 

They  were  approaching  a  flotilla  of  butterflies 


146  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

that  dipped  and  reeled  on  the  breeze  like  fairy  air- 
yachts,  their  wing-sails  of  burning  orange,  of 
barred  crimson,  of  silvery  yellow,  of  rose  and  gray, 
bearing  them  back  and  forth  over  knots  of  cow 
slips  and  wild  honeysuckle. 

"  Oh,  Tanis,  how  lovely  !  Do  these  beautiful 
things  come  here  with  every  spring  ?" 

"  A've  alluz  seed  'em." 

"  Do  you  know  that  their  wings  are  covered 
with  little  feathers,  as  perfect  as  a  bird's  plu 
mage  ?" 

"  No,  ma'am.     D'yuh  b'leeve  that  ?" 

"  I'll  show  you,  some  day,  with  Mr.  Gilman's 
microscope." 

"  Thank  yuh,  ma'am." 

"  Are  you  tired,  Tanis  ?  You  don't  look  as 
strong  and  rosy  as  you  used  to." 

"No,  a  been't  tired.     A'm  all  right." 

"You  look  sad,  dear." 

"A'm  all  right." 

"  Dear  Tanis,  if  you  were  sad  or  in  trouble, 
you'd  let  me  help  you,  wouldn't  you  ?" 

"  Oh,  yease,  ef  yuh  cud.     Thank  yuh  J  " 


TANIS.    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  147 

"  My  life  wasn't  always  happy.  I  used  to  cry 
every  day,  for  mar^  years.  You  look  as  though 
you  had  been  crying,  dear." 

"  Does  a  ?  A  reckon  hit's  th'  spring  fever.  Hit 
alluz  tuk  me  down  a  leetle." 

"  Dear  Tanis,  stop  the  mare  a  minute.  I  want 
to  tell  you  something." 

Tanis  checked  the  mare's  drowsy  amble  and  let 
her  crop  the  grass,  regardless  of  the  green  foam 
which  tarnished  the  bit. 

"  Come  here,  Tanis."  Leaning  over,  the  tender 
hearted  woman  took  the  girl's  face  in  her  hands 
and  kissed  the  melancholy  eyes.  She  smiled,  but 
not  merrily. 

"  They  seh  that's  th'  way  tuh  mek  a  haicse  love 
yuh,  ma'am." 

"  Well,  I  want  you  to  love  me.  I  do  so  want  to 
comfort  you.  You  won't  tell  me  about  it,  and  I 
love  your  bravery,  but  I  know  there's  something 
on  your  heart.  I  can  always  tell,  when  I'm  fond 
of  people.  I  won't  worry  you  any  more,  but 
I  know  that  something  is  making  you  very 
sad." 


148  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"Yuh'se  mighty  kynd.  A've  lamed  tub  love 
yuh,  tuh." 

"  Perhaps  the  spring  makes  you  sad.  I  know  it 
makes  some  people  very,  very  sad.  It  used  almost 
to  break  my  heart,  but  now  I  seem  to  be  blossom 
ing  and  thrilling  with  every  plant  and  tree.  They 
used  to  seem  to  me  like  the  flowers  on  a  great 
grave." 

"  That's  whut  I  feels.  A  tries  tuh  put  muh 
mind  on  th'  flowers  an'  grarss,  but  hit  goes  deeper 
down.  A  thinks  uv  all  th'  graves.  Some  full  o' 
dus',  an'  some  o'  bones,  an'  some  wi'  leetle  chillun 
an'  gals  o'  my  age,  a-lyin'  cramped  in  them  narrer 
boxes,  wi'  thar  eyes  shet,  an'  thai*  han's  restin'  suh 
quiet  on  thar  hearts,  an'  thar  hearts  quiet,  too. 
'Tain'  death  a'm  sskeert  uv,  though.  Hit's 
livin'." 

"  And  yet  I  can't  imagine  you  dead,  Tanis.  You 
seem  to  me  to  be  as  alive  as  the  spring  itself,  like 
a  very  dryad.  Long,  long  ago,  in  a  far-off  coun 
try,  where  people  built  beautiful  temples  and 
palaces  of  white  marble,  and  where  the  purple  sea 
shone  between  the  delicate  columns,  in  that  coun- 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  149 

try  people  believed  that  a  lovely  young  girl  lived 
in  every  tree  and  guarded  it.  They  called  them 
dryads.  You  seem  such  a  bit  of  nature  that 
I  think  you  must  have  lived  in  a  tree,  once, 
Tanis." 

"Did  they  uvver  cut  down  them  trees,  Mis' 
Alice  ?  " 

"Sometimes;  then  they  said  that  the  tree  ran 
blood." 

"  Did  they  uvver  bark  'em  ?  Jess  cut  off  a  strip 
o'  rind  all  roun',  an'  leave  'em  tuh  die,  leetle 
byleetle?" 

"I  don't  know.     Perhaps  so." 

"  A  reckon  they  did.  A  reckon  some  o'  them 
tree-gals  died  thet-a-way.  Hyuh,  ma'am,  hyuh  be 
a  bit  o'  sang.  Yuh  wanted  tuh  see  some  a-growin'. 
Hit's  got  a  right  prutty  flower — hain't  hit  ?  Supp'n 
like  a  Injun  turnip.  Wait,  thar's  a  foot-pick  in 
yo'  saddle  porcket.  A'll  dig  hit  up  f uh  yuh.  Less 
guess  wherrer  th'  root'll  be  straight  or  crookit.  I 
guess  crookit." 

"  Well,  I'll  guess  straight,  then." 

The  girl  dug  for  some  moments,  and  then  tore 


150  TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER. 

up  the  bit  of  ginseng,  which  parted  from  the  soil 
with  a  crackling  sound.     She  held  it  up. 

"  Yuh  wuz  right.  Hit's  straight  ez  a  carrot. 
Marh'idge  is  right  smart  like  bettin'  'bout  sang- 
roots,  a  reckon.  Yuh  nuvver  knows  wherrer 
yuh'll  git  a  straight  man  orrer  crookit  'un.  But 
one  thing's  sho\" — she  shook  the  loam  from  the 
web  of  tangled  fibres,  which  spread  like  a  net 
above  the  main  root — "  thar's  alluz  leetle  worrits 
a-hangin'  on  tuh  hit,  be  hit  straight  or  crookit. 
Yuh  got  a  straight,  soun'  man  in  yo'  marh'idge, 
Miss  Alice" — she  had  fallen  into  this  pretty  south 
ern  trick  of  addressing  her  mistress  as  though 
she  were  a  young  girl — "but  yuh'se  boun'  tuh 
hev  yuh  worrits.  What's  suh  nice,  tho',  is 
thet  yo1  husbun'  takes  'em,  an1  meks  'em  intuh 
sorter  strings  like  fuh  tyin'  yo'  heart  tuh  his'n. 
When  a  'ooman  hev  got  a  husbun'  like  your'n, 
Miss  Alice,  a  hole's  ez  how  she  ought  tuh  let 
ev'ybordy  know  'bout  hit.  T'ud  be  right  prutty, 
'udn't  hit,  ef  all  them  ez  hed  good  husbun's  'ould 
print  a  paper  'bout  hit  fuh  them  ez  hedn't  to  read  ? 
'T'ud  mek  them  others  moughty  sad,  a  reckon, 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  151 

but  Vud  keep  'era  fum  losin'  they  faith  in  all 
men  folks.  Hit's  hard  on  a  'ooman  when  she 
loses  her  faith  in  all  men  folks. " 

"  Yes,  and  it  isn't  right.     The  world  is  full  of 
splendid,  good  men." 

"Aw,  no  !    You  reckon  ?     A  reckon  not." 

"Yes,  but  it  is.     Men  have  more  to  tempt  them 
and  make  them  bad,  as  a  rule." 

"  Aw,  no  !  A  reckon  not,  Miss  Alice.  Hit  tuk 
a  snake  tuh  timpt  Eve,  an'  a  snake's  moughty 
cunnin'.  Hit  tuk  mo'  tuh  timpt  her  un  hit  did 
tuh  timpt  ole  Adam,  but  she  war  timpted* 
though.  Some  wimmins  is  got  feelin's  ez 
strong  ez  men's,  an'  timptations  stronger.  But 
a  'ooman's  na'chully  gooder'n  a  man.  She  keers 
mo'  tuh  keep  herse'f  clean.  Mens  is  mo'  like 
pigs.  Ev'n  white  pigs  likes  a  bit  o'  mud.  But 
decent  wimmins  'min's  me  mo'  o'  white  pigeons. 
They  like  tuh  keep  theyselves  clean.  A  dunno 
how  'tis.  A  ain't  nuvver  lied  no  use  fuh  mens, 
savin'  yo'  husbun'  an'  my  brother  Bill.  Bill's 
rough,  an'  he  ain't  'ligious.  An'  a  reckon  he's 
gone  wi'  wimmins,  same  ez  mos'  yorng  fellers 


152  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

is,  ez  ain'  beases.  But  Bill  'ud  chop  off  his 
riglit  han'  wi'  his  lef  'fore  he'd  wrong  a  reel 
good  gal,  or  mek  up  turrer  reel  low-down  one." 

"You  must  miss    him   so  much,  Tanis,  dear." 

The  girl's  lips  quivered,  then  turned  inward, 
firmly. 

"Yease,  a  misses  him." 

"But  he'll  be  coming  back  before  very  long, 
now  ?"  suggested  Alice.  With  that  strong  in 
stinct  of  the  tender-hearted,  she  felt  that  Tanis 
was  suffering  intensely  from  some  hidden  mental 
pain. 

The  melancholy  eyes  moistened. 

"Yease,  't'on't  be  lorng,  now." 

They  never  could  tell  how  it  happened,  but 
just  at  this  moment  old  Bess  stumbled,  tried  to 
recover  herself,  and  fell  heavily,  pitching  Alice 
over  her  head  into  a  clump  of  ferns.  When  Ta 
nis  reached  her  she  was  sitting  up,  holding  her 
shoulder  with  one  hand,  and  staring  dazedly 
about  her. 

"I'm  not  hurt — I'm  not  hurt,"  she  said,  over 
and  over. 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  153 

Tan  is  was  as  white  as  her  frock. 

She  lifted  her  mistress,  bodily,  upon  her  knees, 
and  sat  smoothing  and  rocking  her. 

"I'm  not  hurt — I'm  not  hurt,"  Alice  kept  re 
peating. 

"A  thought  yuh  wuz  kilt,"  whispered  Tanis, 
and  began  to  sob.  "  Oh,  a  thought  yuh  was  kilt, 
an'  a  does  love  yuh."  She  stopped  sobbing  as 
suddenly  as  she  had  begun,  and  felt  the  slight 
body  that  she  held  with  soft,  inquiring  touches. 
"Done  nowhar  hu't  yuh?''  she  asked,  anxiously. 

44  No,  dear.    No,  truly.     I'm  dizzy.    That's  all." 

"  Oh  !"  cried  Tanis,  still  clasping  her  jealously. 
"  Ef  yuh  hed  a  ben  kilt,  I\l  a  kilt  thet  thar  ole 
lummux — a'd  a  knocked  her  i'  th'  heade  wi'  a 
rock,  a  wad  !  Oh,  Miss  Alice,  tuh  think  yuh 
mought  a  gone,  an'  nuvver  know'd  whut  a'se  ben 
layin'  off  tuh  tell  yuh,  time  an'  time  agin,  these 
three  weeks  !  An'  all  jess  caze  o'  muh  own  stu- 
pidness  !  A  didn't  know  how — a  wuz  'shamed. 
But,  'fo'  Gawd,  yuh  is  ben  he'p  Him  save  muh 
soul,  Miss  Alice  !  A  hed  a  hard  fight,  but  a  won. 
A  come  down  hyuh  tuh  larn,  an'  a  larned.  A 


154  TAN1S,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

lamed  muh  own  feeliris  were  right,  an'  a  did  right. 
Mebbe,"  she  broke  off,  with  a  half  dreading 
modesty,  "mebbe  a  thinks  mo'  'n  a  ought  'bout  th' 
'provement  a  lays  hev  come  tuh  me.  But  tell  me, 
tell  me  true,  Miss  Alice,  'ooman  tuh  'ooman,  done 
a  swar  less  'n  a  used  tuh  ?  Done  a  speak  mo'  per- 
lite  ?  Done  a  ack  mo'  like  a  gal  oughter  ack  ?" 

"You  do,  indeed  you  do,"  murmured  Alice. 
She  was  beginning  to  feel  cold  and  sick.  "  You 
are  gentler  and  more  considerate." 

"Bless  yuh,  bless  yuh  !"  cried  the  girl  "Oh, 
ef  a  cud  only  go  back  an'  teach  muh  people  whut 
a  good  feelin'  hit  gives  yuh  tuh  be  good  !  Why 
be  hit,  yuh  reckon,  thet  th'  higher  up  folks  lives, 
th'  lower  down  they  seems  tuh  git  ?  Why  be  hit 
thet  th'  valley  folks  air  suh  much  better  then  us 
mountin  folks  ?  Seems  like  thar  souls  be  mount- 
ins,  an'  our  souls  be  valleys.  But  huccum  a  talk 
suh  much,  an'  yuh  suh  weak  'n'  dizzy  wi'  yo'  fall  ? 
Hit's  jess  muh  na'chul  selfishness  a-wukin'  out,  a 
reckon.  Be  yuh  easier  now  ?" 

Alice  stammered.  Her  head  fell  back  on  Tanis' 
breast, 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  155 

"  I — I — everything  seems  whirling." 

Tanis  gazed  about  in  desperation. 

"Mebbe  yuh're  a-goin'  tuh  faint,"  she  said, 
"an'  not  a  drop  o'  water,  'r  'nuff  tuh  drown  a 
flea  !  Be  yuh  faint  ?" 

"  I  should  like,"  again  her  eyes  closed;  '•  water," 
she  whispered. 

There  was  a  curl  of  smoke  spiralling  against 
the  sky  not  far  off.  They  were  at  the  edge  of  a 
clearing  on  the  mountain  side.  Tanis  started. 
She  had  not  realized  before  that  they  were  near 
the  cabin  of  old  Joe  Simmons.  A  clump  of  sugar 
maples  hid  it  from  them  at  this  point.  In  an 
instant  she  had  conquered  her  self-revolt.  She 
withdrew  her  arms,  and  laid  Alice  gently  back 
among  the  ferns.  Fortunately,  she  could  find 
nothing  with  which  to  prop  her  head,  and  the 
blood  began  to  flow  back  into  her  brain. 

"  I  feel  much  better,"  she  murmured.  "  Not  so 
deadly  sick." 

Tanis  chafed  her  hands,  and  glowed  with  de 
light  as  a  faint  rose  color  appeared  on  the  pale 
lips. 


156  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

UA  reckon  yuh'll  be  all  right  now,  an'  ef  yuh 
ain'  narvous  a'll  jes  run  over  thar  tub  ole  Simmons', 
an'  git  yuh  some  water.  A  'on't  be  gone  two 
minutes.  Be  yuh  afeared  tuh  stay  by  yo'se'f  thet 
long  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,"  Alice  assured  her,  smiling. 

"Th'  cabin's  right  over  thar,  a-hint  them 
sugars.  A'll  run  th'  whole  way,  thar  V  back." 

She  caught  up  her  white  frock  and  set  off  with 
the  speed  of  an  Indian.  But  neither  old  Sim 
mons  nor  Susy  was  at  home,  and  she  had  to 
climb  in  through  the  window,  to  get  the  bucket. 
She  was  afraid  to  bring  only  a  gourd  of  water,  for 
fear  of  spilling  its  contents  by  some  mischance, 
and  then  Alice  would  have  to  be  left  alone  a 
second  time,  while  she  went  back  for  more.  The 
spring,  too,  had  been  muddied  by  a  cow,  which 
had  walked  through  it,  after  drinking,  so  that 
there  was  another  delay  while  she  stood  waiting 
impatiently  for  the  water  to  "settle."  Indeed, 
luck  seemed  to  be  against  her,  for  in  rushing  up 
the  steep  hill,  her  skirt  slipped  from  her  hand,  and 
she  fell  over  it,  upsetting  the  bucket  and  soaking 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  157 

her  feet.  At  least  twenty  minutes  had  passed 
when  she  returned  to  the  place  where  she  had  left 
Alice  and  old  Bess;  but,  to  her  amazement,  she 
found  that  she  had  made  a  mistake,  for  neither 
Alice  nor  the  horse  were  to  be  seen.  Then  she 
set  down  her  bucket  and  ran  several  yards,  back 
and  forth,  in  every  direction.  The  last  time  that 
she  returned  something  occurred  to  her  which, 
in  her  astonishment,  she  had  not  thought  of  be 
fore.  She  went  forward  and  looked  at  the 
clumps  of  ferns,  where  Alice  had  been  lying.  Yes, 
there  was  the  print  of  that  slight  body,  but  what 
was  still  more  strange,  the  ferns  were  broken  and 
trampled  into  the  black  mould,  further  on,  as 
though  two  people  had  been  struggling  together. 


158  TANIS,    THE   SANG-DIGGER. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  S  Tanis  stood,  staring,  something  glittered 
-^  up  at  her  from  the  broken  ground.  She 
stooped  and  lifted  it.  Then  her  face  blanched, 
and  she  sank  to  her  knees,  as  though  under  a 
physical  blow.  What  she  held  in  her  hand  was 
Alice's  long,  gold  hat-pin,  with  its  little  knot  of 
enameled  daisies  cracked  and  crushed  together,  as 
though  under  a  heavy  weight.  She  walked  for 
ward  mechanically.  A  bit  of  blue  next  caught 
her  eyes.  At  first  she  thought  that  it  was  a 
flower,  but,  stooping,  saw  that  it  was  tho  silk 
necktie  which  Alice  had  worn  with  her  sailor- 
waist.  Still  further  on,  she  found  a  little  wash- 
leather  glove  and  a  bit  of  gray  gauze,  its  frayed 
edges  blowing  like  thistledown  among  the  twigs  of 
the  thornbush  to  which  it  clung.  Her  face  grew 
more  haggard,  her  movements  slower  with  each 
onward  step,  until,  at  last,  she  stood  staring 
blankly  at  the  wooded  mountain-side  before  her, 
terror  moistening  her  forehead  and  the  palms  of 


TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  159 

her  hands,  her  heart  beating  loudly,  suffocatingly, 
her  body  feeling  as  though  made  of  lead.  She 
tried  to  think,  to  guess  at  a  solution,  but, 
always,  just  at  the  same  point,  her  thoughts 
veered  and  lost  themselves  in  a  dull  maze  of 
animal  wondering,  like  the  thoughts  of  an 
opium-eater. 

Then,  all  at  once,  she  turned  and  ran  down 
toward  the  valley,  as  though  a  wehrwolf  were 
at  her  heels.  At  the  garden  gate  she  met  Gil- 
man.  He  fell  back  speechless  at  the  sight  of 
her  face,  which  looked  stiff  and  chalky,  like  a 
death-mask. 

But  she  sprang  forward  and  clung  to  him, 
her  fingers  hurting  him  through  the  cloth  of 
his  coat.  Her  lips  opened  and  closed — opened 
and  closed — but  no  sound  came  through  them. 
Then  she  darted  from  him  and  lifted  her  wide 
spread  hands  toward  the  mountains.  The  blood 
had  congested  about  her  eyes  and  lips,  giving 
her  that  horrible  look,  as  though  of  clay.  Gil- 
man  took  one  of  the  rigid  hands  and  smoothed 
it  between  his. 


160  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  What's  the  matter?"  he  asked,  kindly. 
ts  What's  happened  to  you,  child  ?" 

She  tore  her  hand  from  him  and  put  it  to 
her  throat,  as  though  in  agony. 

"  Has  anyone  hurt  you  ?  Have  you  seen  any 
horrible  sight  ?  Come,  let  me  get  you  a  glass 
of  wine.  Alice  always  has  some  Vin  Mariani 
on  the  little  table  near  her  sofa." 

Then  she  gave  a  hoarse  cry: 

"Alice!  Alice!  Alice!"  She  trembled  from 
head  to  foot.  "Alice!"  she  said  again. 

Gilman  turned  as  pale  as  she  was.  He  took  her 
hand  again  and  they  ran  together  to  the  sitting- 
room,  where,  at  this  houi*,  Alice  always  lay  on  her 
sofa  near  the  window,  watching  for  her  husband 
to  come  home  to  lunch. 

"Where  is  she?  Where  is  Alice?"  he  said,  in  a 
thick  voice. 

Tanis  looked  wildly  about,  then  catching  sight 
of  the  bottle  of  medicinal  wine  pinched  out  the 
cork  and  drank  greedily.  It  seemed  to  Gilman 
that  she  would  never  stop. 

"What    has    happened?"    he     asked.      "Are 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  161 

you  mad?  Where  is  she?  What  have  you 
done?" 

She  went  on  gulping  down  the  sweet,  aromatic 
stuff.  When  she  put  the  bottle  down  there  was 
scarcely  a  drop  in  it,  but  she  could  speak,  and  the 
convulsive  trembling  was  less  violent.  She  told 
him  what  had  happened  several  times  before  he 
seemed  to  comprehend  it.  Now  beginning  at  the 
middle,  now  at  the  end,  now  recalling  useless  de 
tails  which  made  him  frantic,  and  upon  which  she 
dwelt  with  what  seemed  to  him  a  preternatural 
obstinacy. 

"For  God's  sake,  make  it  plain!"  hesaid.  "Don't 
stop  to  tell  me  such  things.  What  has  happened? 
What  do  you  think  has  happened  ?" 

"  Then,"  she  began  again,  in  a  dull  monotone, 
"  then  a  foun'  this  hyuh  pin.  'T\vas  daisies,  jess 
ez  na'chul  ez  them  sto'  flowers  they  puts  on  hats. 
Yease,  then  a  foun'  that.  Then  a  foun'  this  hyuh 
leetle  glove.  Then  a  foun' " 

He  caught  her  hands  and  spoke  to  her  implor 
ingly  : 

"Tanis!    Tanis,  my  girl,  don't  you  see  you  are 


162  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

maddening  me  ?  You  said  she  wasn't  hurt  by  the 
fall  from  the  horse.  Then,  what  has  happened  ? 
Has  she — has  she" — his  face  was  distorted — "has 
she  been  killed,  in  any  way  ?" 

"Oh!  wuss,  wuss,  a  reckon!" 

All  at  once  she  became  calm,  rational,  self -con 
trolled. 

"  We  mus'  be  quick,  suh !  You  mus'  rouse  th' 
neighborhood!  You  mus'  ack  in  a  jiffy!  A  reckon, 
suh,  'twas  sang-diggers  ez  done  hit!" 

She  looked  at  him  steadily.  For  a  moment  he 
did  not  seem  to  comprehend.  Then  the  light  of 
madness  broke  into  his  eyes.  He  lifted  his  hand: 

"It's  you — you  who  have  done  this!  By  God! 
I  see  the  whole  thing!  And  you  dare  to  come  to 
me  with  your  cursed  acting!  You — you — !"  He 
staggered  and  fell  back  against  the  wall.  "  It  was 
you!  ....  It  is  you!  ....  It  is  you!"  .... 
he  kept  r  peating.  Then  he  roused  himself  sud 
denly,  and  she  saw  him  dash  off  in  the  direction  of 
the  Hot  Springs  on  his  own  mare,  a  fleet,  active 
bay,  with  the  marks  of  harness  yet  on  her.  She 
stood,  repeating  stupidly: 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  163 

"  It's  me !  .   .   .   .   It's  me  /  .   .    .   .    'Twar  me 

ez  done  hit!     Yease,  'twar  mef" 

She  went  and  sat  in  the  kitchen  window,  as 
though  stunned.  She  sat  there  until  the  mountains 
were  dark  against  a  pale,  starlit  sky,  pulling  the 
leaves  from  a  shrub  that  grew  near  by,  and  shred 
ding  them  in  time  to  her  own  words:  "  'Twar  me — 
'Twar  me — 'Twar  me  ez  done  hit!" 

For  a  week  the  whole  neighborhood,  boys  and 
men,  scoured  the  mountains  within  a  circuit  of 
twenty  miles.  Even  the  visitors  at  the  Hot,  Warm 
and  Healing  Springs  had  joined  the  infuriated 
band,  who,  well  armed  and  well  mounted,  were 
indefatigable  in  their  search. 

Tanis  disappeared  on  the  night  of  the  day  upon 
which  Mrs,  Oilman  had  been  so  mysteriously  kid 
napped.  Old  Bess  had  been  brought  home,  a  few 
days  later,  by  a  lad  who  found  her  wandering 
about  in  the  woods,  near  Black  Creek.  As  for  Gil- 
man,  he  neither  slept  nor  ate,  until  the  doctor,  who 
acted  as  general  of  the  little  army,  had  convinced 
him  that  he  would  end  by  giving  himself  brain 


164  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

fever,  and  so  incapacitating  himself  for  assisting 
in  the  search  for  his  wife. 

They  had  spent  a  morning  or  two  in  hunting  for 
the  girl,  but  decided  finally  that  this  was  a  waste 
of  time,  as  she  had  probably  joined  her  gang  and 
would  be  discovered  when  they  discovered  her 
mistress. 

On  a  cold  wintry  night,  more  like  March  than 
May,  a  crowd  of  people  had  collected  in  the  front 
hall  or  office  of  The  Homestead,  as  the  old  hotel  at 
the  Hot  Springs  is  called.  They  had  returned  only 
that  morning  to  rest,  while  a  relay  had  started  off 
on  what  now  seemed  to  be  a  hopeless  search. 

Several  ladies  had  come  down  stairs  to  join  their 
sons  and  husbands  to  hear  the  matter  discussed. 
Through  the  cracks  of  the  windows,  built  loosely 
for  summer  weather,  the  wind  whirred  and  sang. 
The  stove  doors  glowed  redly,  and  the  women  had 
cloaks  and  shawls  about  their  shoulders.  They 
were  even  more  impassioned  than  the  men,  in  their 
talk  of  lynching.  Now  and  then  an  appalled 
silence  followed  some  dreadful  anecdote  of  the 
horrible  acts  of  tramps  and  sang-diggers. 


TAN  IS,    THE    SAXG  DIGGER.  165 

It  was  during  one  of  these  silences  that  the  hall 
door  opened  slowly,  and  a  girl  stepped  into  the 
warm,  brightly-lighted  room.  She  was  worn  and 
pale,  as  though  from  a  severe  illness,  her  chestnut 
hair  hung  in  ropy  snarls  about  her  shoulders,  and 
she  coughed  as  she  drew  her  coarse  brown  cloak 
closer  about  her. 

Everyone  stared  at  her,  wordless,  and  she  stared 
back  at  them,  also  without  speaking. 

Finally,  one  of  the  clerks  came  forward. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?"  he  said.  "  Who  are 
you  ?" 

She  said  distinctly,  but  coughing  between  the 
words  : 

"  A  wants  tuh  seh  Mr.  Gilman,  an'  a  be  Tanis, 
th'  sang-digger." 

Then  began  an  indescribable  hubbub. 

She  was  seized  and  held. 

"  'Tain'  no  use  a-doin'  thet,"  she  said,  gently. 
"  A  reckon  a  come  hyuh  uv  muh  own  free  will.  A 
reckon  a  knowed  a  cud'n'  git  away." 

The  buzz  grew  louder  and  louder.  The 
women  stared  angrily  at  her,  and  whispered 


166  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

their  opinions  to  each  other,  and  to  their  hus 
bands. 

"Yes,  she  cert'n'y  does  look  about  as  bad  as 
they  make  'em,"  said  one  of  the  clerks,  who  was 
still  grasping  her  shoulders,  in  spite  of  her  very 
logical  remarks. 

The  girl  shivered,  but  did  not  speak. 

"Mr.  Gilman  isn't  here,"  said  a  gray-haired 
gentleman,  approaching  her.  "  He's  out  searching 
for  his  wife." 

She  looked  at  him  wistfully. 

"  Who'd  a  bes'  talk  wi',  next  to  him  ?  "  she  then 
asked. 

"  Why,  tell  all  of  us,"  "  Say  what  you've  got  to 
say  here."  "  What's  the  use  of  telling  Mr.  Gil 
man  in  particular  ?"  The  voices  rose  and  surged 
angrily  about  her.  Involuntarily  she  tried  to  lift 
her  hands  to  her  ears.  It  seemed  to  her  that  these 
bright-eyed,  eager  faces  were  crueler  than  the  faces 
of  wolves. 

"You  see,"  cried  the  other  man,  who  grasped 
her  triumphantly,  "it's  just  as  well  we  held  her, 
after  all," 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  167 

A  hum  of  approval  followed  his  words.  Then  a 
young  fellow  stepped  forward  from  behind  the 
desk.  He  had  clear,  widely-opened  eyes,  and  a 
frank  face,  with  a  kindly,  boyish  expression  about 
the  mouth. 

"  Say,"  he  remarked,  ft  I'm  going  to  wake  the 
doctor.  He  knows  a  lot  more  about  these  people 
than  anybody  here  does.  I'd  like  to  see  if  he  agrees 
with  me.  I  think  that  girl  is  honest,  and  I  think 
she  has  got  something  worth  telling,  too," 

A  wave  of  crimson  spread  over  Tanis'  throat 
and  forehead.  Her  lips  parted.  A  light  came  into 
her  eyes. 

"  Aw — thank  yuh — thank  yuh  !"  She  spoke  in 
a  whisper,  but  the  young  fellow  heard  her.  He 
gave  her  an  encouraging  nod,  in  spite  of  the  angry 
hubbub  that  had  arisen  at  his  suggestion,  and 
walked  rapidly  down  the  long  hall. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  came  back  with  the  doctor, 
a  tall  man,  with  shrewd,  kindly  eyes,  and  an  ab 
rupt  way  of  speaking. 

He  looked  at  the  girl,  stepped  up  to  her,  and, 
putting  his  hand  under  her  chin,  lifted  it  so  that 


108  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

he  could  see  her  face  more  distinctly.  Then  he 
started. 

"  Why,  you're  the  girl  I  saw  at  old  Joe  Sim 
mons'  that  day,  ain't  you  ?  And — "  he  felt  the 
wrist  and  forearm  of  the  hand  he  had  taken. 
"  Murder,  child,  but  you're  thin!  You've  been  ill, 
or  starving,  or  something." 

She  looked  up  at  him.  Her  heart  began  to  beat 
heavily. 

"  A  hain't  had  much  tuh  eat  lately,"  she  ad 
mitted. 

"Pore  little  thing,"  he  said,  and  patted  her 
cheek.  Something  swelled  in  her  throat,  but  she 
would  not  cry.  She  pressed  her  lips  together  and 
lifted  her  head  proudly. 

The  doctor  turned  to  the  noisy  crowd  about  the 
stove. 

"Yes,  I'm  with  Charley,"  he  said.  "I  believe 
in  this  girl.  I  believe  she  ought  to  have  a  hear 
ing,  and  I'm  going  to  prescribe  for  her.  First 
thing  a  chair,  then  a  milk-punch,  then  a  few  min 
utes  to  rest  in,  then  to  talk  as  much  as  she  likes." 

There  was  a  murmur  at  this,  but  "  the  doctor  " 


TANIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  169 

was  not  often  gainsayed.  He  made  Tanis  the 
milk-punch  himself,  and  then  stood  by,  smoothing 
her  shoulder  while  she  drank  it. 

"Now,"  he  said,  asay  all  you  want  to,  and  no 
body  shall  touch  you." 

Tanis  sat  very  straight  in  the  wooden  arm-chair 
that  they  had  placed  for  her.  Her  hands  rested 
listlessly  on  its  worn  side-pieces.  The  doctor  had 
drawn  back  her  rough,  curling  locks  and  tucked 
them  behind  her  ears.  Her  moist  forehead  shone 
like  a  slab  of  moonstone  above  the  dark  shadow 
which  veiled  her  eyes.  Her  lips  were  steady,  her 
breast  now  moved  with  quiet  breaths,  under  the 
blue  stuff  of  her  gown.  She  had  the  air  of  a 
primitive  princess  addressing  an  assembly  of 
rebels. 

"  Fust  thing  a  wants,"  she  said,  in  a  clear,  firm 
voice,  "fust  thing  a  wants  is  tuh  tell  that  a 
knows  whar  Mis'  Gilman  be  at." 

A  murmur  began,  and  she  held  up  one  chapped, 
but  shapely  hand.  There  might  have  been  a  scep 
tre  in  it,  from  its  pose.  Somehow  it  hushed  that 
indignant  hum. 


170  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Then  a  wants  tub  seh,  ez  how  nawbordy  hain' 
teched  a  har  uv  her  head — that  she  be  safe  an' 
well  keered-f uh.  She  hev  hed  plenty  tuh  eat  an' 
drink,  an'  she  hev  ben  kep'  warm.  She  hev  hed  a 
place  tuh  husse'f,  an'  my  brother  Bill  hev  kep' 
watch  over  her,  same  ez  a  dawg." 

The  murmur  broke  out  again,  this  time  much 
louder,  and  several  men  started  to  their  feet. 
Again  Tanis  lifted  her  hand.  Her  nostrils  dilated 
and  her  eyes  were  fierce. 

"Wait,"  she  said,  "yuh'd  better  lemme  talk." 

When  there  was  silence,  she  continued,  quietly  : 

"  A  sed  ez  how  a  knowed  whar  she  wuz,  an'  a 
does  know.  But  thar's  some  promises  a  wants 
'fore  a  sez  anuther  wud  'bout  hit.  Uv  cose  a 
knows  ez  how  yuh  ken  send  me  tuh  jail  an'  keep 
me  thar  f uh  life,  too,  ef  yuh  wans'  tuh,  but  thar 
hain'  no  tormint  ez'll  git  a  wud  outer  me,  'thout 
them  promises,  an'  a  wants  'em  on  paper,  too." 

Loud  talking  and  even  swearing  now  broke 
forth,  but  this  time  it  was  the  doctor  who  lifted 
his  hand. 

"  Namersense !"   he    called   out,  "cyarn't    you 


TAMS,    THE    SANG-D1GGEK.  171 

listen  to  the  gyrl  for  twenty  minutes  ?  Hear  what 
she's  got  to  say,  first,  and  then  get  as  mad  as  you 
like.  Go  on,  child." 

Tanis  held  her  head  more  regally  than  ever,  but 
her  hands  now  grasped  the  chair-arms  with  a 
force  which  whitened  her  strong  knuckles. 

"  I  kin  git  her  back.  I  kin  git  her  hyuh  in 
two  hours'  time,  an'  ez  safe  ez  when  she  went. 
But  a  wone  do  hit,  'thout  a  gits  a  promise,  an' 
in  writin',  that  nawbordy'll  foller  an'  try  tuh  hut 
them  ez  liev  kep'  her.  An'  yuh  cyarn'  nuvver 
git  her,  nuther,  'thout  me.  An'  ef  yuh  sends 
me  tuh  jail,  yuh  cyarn'  git  her,  caze  a've  gin  a 
promise,  ez  a  cyarn'  keep  'thout  goin'  back  an' 
stayin'  in  her  place.  Ef  yuh  puts  me  in  jail  tuh 
night,  yuh  cyarn'  git  her,  an'  she'll  wisht  she  war 
dead,  too,  'fore  mawnin',  caze  Bill  hain'  God- 
amoughty,  though  he  do  be  gooder'n  mos',  an' 
tho'  she'd  nuvver  be  no  wuss  off  'n  she  be  now, 
ef  hit  rested  wi'  him.  But  thar's  others."  A 
quick  shudder  overran  her  whole  body.  "  Yease, 
thar's  others,  an'  ef  yuh  put  me  in  jail  tuhmorer, 
when  she  wuz  back  hyuh  again,  yuh'd  be  mekkin' 


172  TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

me  brek  muh  wud,  an'  a  hain'  nuvver  brek  muh 
wud,  an'  a  hain'  nuvver  goin'  tub,  nuther.  So,  ef 
yuh  wants  Mis'  Gil  man  back  hyuh,  in  two  hours' 
time,  yub  mus'  gimme  them  promises,  an'  in 
writin1,  too.  Fus',  that  yuh  wone  go  arter  them 
ez  tuk  her.  Nixt,  that  yuh  wone  put  me  in  jail, 
whe'rr  hit  be  tuhnight  or  tuhmorer.  Thar! 
That's  all,  a  reckon." 

Then  began  a  general  pow-wow.  The  men  and 
women  gathered  in  knots,  some  talking  very 
loudly,  some  in  whispers;  the  doctor  and  the 
young  clerk,  who  had  befriended  Tanis,  consulted 
together  for  some  moments,  but  soon  the  doctor 
began  to  be  called  for,  from  all  sides.  After 
about  half  an  hour,  he  came  up  to  Tanis  and 
said : 

"All  right,  my  girl.  You  shall  have  those 
promises  in  writing.  We've  sent  for  people  to  do 
it,  and  they'll  be  here  in  a  little  while.  I'll  see 
that  they  act  square  by  you.  But  now  you  must 
eat  something." 

"  Naw,  thank  yuh — thank  yuh,  suh.  You's 
ben  moughty  kynd."  Her  under  lip  quivered  for 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  1/3 

an  instant.  "  Yuh  certVy  is  ben  kynd,  but  a 
cuddn't  eat.  A  am'  hongry.  A  done  want 
nothin'." 

"  But  if  you're  going  off  on  another  long 
tramp,  you  must  eat,  I  tell  you." 

Tanis  looked  obstinate.  The  curves  of  her  lips 
merged  themselves  into  a  firm  line,  and  she  shook 
her  head. 

"All  right,  all  right,"  said  the  doctor,  "I 
won't  force  you.  But  look  here,  child,  you  can 
trust  me,  can't  you  ?" 

She  smiled. 

"  Yease,  suh ;  a  reckon  a'm  right  sartin  'bout 
that  thar." 

"  Well,  then,  tell  me,  how  on  earth  did  you 
manage  to  find  Mrs.  Gilman,  when  the  whole 
country,  mountaineers  and  all,  have  been  hunting 
for  her  so  long,  and  couldn't  get  a  trace  of  her  ?" 

"A  knowed  a  place  ez  th'  sang-diggers  knows. 
A  reckoned  she  war  thar.  En  she  war.  A 
reckoned,  too,  a  knowed  why  they  tuk  her,  arter 
a'd  thunk  hit  over  a  bit.  An'  a  war  right.  But 
Bill,  suh,  he  didn'  hev  nothin'  tuh  do  wi'  hit. 


174  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

'Twar  one  man  ez  done  hit,  an'  he  ain'  harmed 
her,  like  a  said  jess  now.  'Twar  jess  one  man  ez 
done  hit,  but  th'  others  they  stuck  by  him.  She's 
safe,  suh.  She  ain'  ben  hu't  by  nonner  'em.  Th' 
man  ez  tuk  her,  he  didn'  mean  no  harm  by  her. 
'Twar  tuh  git  me  tuh  to  promise  supp'n'  an'  a've 
promised;  an',  now,  ef  they'll  lemme  go,  a'll  hev 
her  back  hyuh  by  daybrek." 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG -DIGGER.  175 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  N  hour  later,  the  papers  which  she  had  de- 
-£^~  manded  under  her  arm,  Tanis  went  forth 
into  the  dark,  blustering  night,  having  said  nothing 
beyond  the  facts  that  she  came  to  tell,  except  to 
the  doctor  and  to  the  young  clerk,  who  had  treated 
her  so  kindly.  To  them  she  held  out  her  hand  and 
said  :  "  Good-bye,  an'  thank  yuh,"  several  times. 
Then  she  went  out,  and  the  door  banged  behind 
her  in  the  high  wind. 

A  faint,  white  blur  was  beginning  to  spread  be 
hind  the  mountains  when  the  eager  watchers  at  The 
Homestead  saw  her  tall  figure  coming  slowly  down 
the  path  that  led  to  the  Warm  Springs  mountain. 
The  grass  was  stiff  with  hoar-frost  and  the  hillside 
slippery.  She  almost  carried  in  her  right  arm  the 
slender  figure  that  she  guided.  The  wind  had  died 
down  and  a  frozen,  silence  held  field  and  woodland 
as  in  a  spell.  Snow,  too,  was  beginning  to  fall — 


176  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

snow,  dry  and  powdery,  promising  deep  drifts. 
The  two  figures  advanced  slowly. 

Gilman  had  been  out  all  night,  but  they  looked 
for  his  return  at  any  moment. 

Before  Alice  had  reached  the  piazza  steps,  how 
ever,  the  doctor  had  cleared  the  office  of  people. 
The  excited  hum  and  buzz  of  voices  could  be  heard 
from  the  large  drawing-room,  which  opened  into 
the  main  hall.  He  had  explained  to  them  how 
necessary  it  was  that  Mrs.  Gilman  should  not  be 
excited,  at  first.  He  wanted,  if  possible,  to  have 
her  in  bed  and  quite  calm  before  her  husband  ar 
rived. 

When  she  and  Tanis  entered  the  office,  there 
fore,  they  found  only  the  doctor  and  the  wife  of 
the  proprietor  waiting  to  greet  them.  Everything 
passed  off  without  any  commotion,  and  the  doctor 
called  Tanis  aside  before  taking  Alice  to  her 
room. 

"  Mrs.  Gilman  wants  you  to  wait  until  she  can 
speak  to  you  again.  She  wants  to  see  you  as  soon 
as  I  will  let  her.  Sit  there,  near  the  stove.  No 
body  shall  trouble  you." 


TAXIS,    THE    SAXG-DIGGER.  177 

"  Thank  yuh,  sub,"  said  Tanis,  in  an  even 
voice. 

She  sat  down,  however,  by  one  of  the  windows 
and  watched  the  day  quicken  above  the  dark  crests 
of  the  mountains.  The  sky  was  clearing  and  the 
snow  had  ceased  to  fall.  The  "weather-glim"  pulsed 
with  changeful  gold,  now  pale,  like  the  petals  of 
a  crocus,  now  deep,  like  those  of  marigolds.  A 
scarf  of  rosy  lilac  spangled  with  white  morning- 
stars  festooned  itself  above  the  band  of  yellow.  As 
the  sun  rose  higher  and  higher,  it  seemed  to  be  re 
vealing  fairyland.  The  valley  had  been  changed, 
by  some  cold  miracle,  during  the  night.  Every 
tree  and  shrub  and  blade  of  grass  was  sheathed,  as 
in  crystal.  The  roses  and  hyacinths  bent  gently 
under  the  fine  snow,  which  shone  like  mica.  They 
were  like  lovely  fairies,  powdered  for  a  court  ball. 
As  the  morning  breeze  began  to  stir,  the  ice- 
sheathed  twigs  gave  forth  a  soft  tinkling.  The 
sky  was  soon  an  iridescent  globe  above  the  spark 
ling  white  earth. 

Oilman  arrived  and  was  taken  to  his  wife's  room. 
The  guests  and  neighbors  gathered  again  in  the 


178  TANJS,    THE    SANG-DIGGEK. 

warm  office.  Still  Tanis  sat  beside  the  window, 
her  eyes  on  the  radiant  sky.  Presently  the  doctor 
came  for  her.  She  followed  him  quietly,  heedless 
of  the  whispers  and  comments  that  broke  out 
afresh  as  she  rose  to  do  so. 

Alice  was  lying  in  bed  against  a  heap  of  pillows. 
Her  husband  knelt  beside  her,  with  both  her  hands 
in  his,  but  the  girl  could  not  see  his  face.  When 
he  turned  to  speak  to  her  there  seemed  to  be  a 
light  upon  it.  Then  Alice  drew  her  hands  from 
his  and  held  them  out  to  Tanis. 

"I  know!  I  know  all!  I  know  what  you 
wouldn't  tell  me,  dear.  I  have  told  him.  He 
is  so  sorry  that  he  ever  doubted  you,  and  said 
such  cruel  things  to  you.  Come  to  us,  Tanis  ;  we 
want  to  thank  you." 

Tanis  came  forward.  Her  face  looked  numb 
and  pale,  and  she  bent  mechanically  under  Alice's 
loving  grasp.  When  Gilman  wrung  her  hand 
she  said  nothing. 

"I  beg  your  pardon  from  my  heart.  There's 
nothing  too  much  that  I  could  do  for  you, 
or  say  to  you  !"  he  exclaimed,  vehemently. 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-D1GGER.  179 

"  No,  no,  it's  useless.  Words  are  so  empty," 
put  in  Alice.  "  Oh,  Tanis,  dear,  I  have  so  many 
happy  plans  for  you.  You  shall  learn  everything 
that  I  can  teach  you.  You  shall  stay  with  me  al 
ways,  if  you  want  to,  until  someone  comes  whom 
you  love  better."  She  smiled,  and  pressed  one 
of  the  rough  hands  to  her  cheek.  Tanis  shud 
dered. 

"  Why,  you've  got  a  chill,  dear  !"  said  Alice, 
alarmed.  "Do  call  the  doctor  quickly,  George. 
He  is  the  kindest  man  in  the  world.  He 
will  give  her  something  to  check  this  cold  at 
once.*' 

Gilman  sprang  to  his  feet,  but  Tanis  stopped 
him. 

"Thar  ain'  nuthin'  th'  matter  wi'  me," 
she  said.  "  That  wa'n't  nuthin'.  'Twar  jess 
somebordy  a-treadin'  on  muh  grave.  Am  all 
right." 

"And  will  you  forgive  me?"  he  asked,  with  an 
eagerness  that  was  boyish. 

"'  Aw — yease,  suh.      Uv  co'se." 

'•'And  you  will  come  back  with  us,  dear?"  said 


180  TANIS,    THE    SANG-D1GGER. 

Alice.  "  We  can  begin  to-day,  or  at  least  we  can 
talk  it  all  over/' 

Tanis  shivered  again;  then  she  said  slowly: 

"  A — a' in  sorry,  Miss  Alice.  A — a — cyarn'  go 
back  wi'  yuh." 

"  Why,  what  will  you  do,  then  ?  You  can't 
stay  here." 

"  A'm  a-goin'  back  tuh  th'  mountains.  A  done 
reckon  a  war  meant  fuh  th'  valley.  A'm  a-goin' 
back  tuh  muh  people— an'  tuh  Bill.  A  loves  th' 
valley,  but  th'  mountains  owns  me." 

"Tanis,  I  am  afraid  that  is  because  I  spoke  to 
you  as  I  did,"  said  Oilman.  "  Isn't  it  ?" 

"Some,"  she  answered  honestly,  "but  that 
ain't  all.  A've  med  a  promise.  A  mus*  go. 
'Tain'  case  a  am'  grateful."  She  pressed 
her  hands  together  and  stretched  them  out 
to  Alice.  Her  voice  broke  for  the  first 
time. 

"Oh  !  'tain'  that,  Mis'  Alice.  Yuh  b'leeves 
me,  don'tchuh  ?  Hit  ain'  that,  ''deed  it  ain't." 

"But,  dear,  I  can't  let  you  go  back.  Be  reason 
able.  Mr.  Oilman  has  really  suffered  over  what 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  181 

he  said  to  you,  and  you  aren't  hard-hearted,  Ta- 
nis.  You  don't  bear  malice." 

The  girl  turned  away,  but  they  could  see  her 
shoulders  quivering. 

"  Won't  you  stay,  won't  you  stay  with  us, 
dear,  dear  Tanis  ?" 

"A  cyarn',"  she  whispered.  "Oh,  a  cyarn', 
Mis'  Alice.  Don't  timp'  me.  A  ain'  nuvver 
brek  muh  wud,  an'  a  cyarn'  brek  hit  now.  A 
gin  muh  wud,  an'  a  mils'  go,  an'  soon." 

Tears  began  to  escape  from  Alice's  blue 
eyes. 

"  I — I  thought  you  would  come,"  she  fal 
tered.  "I  didn't  think  that  you  would  leave  me 
so." 

The  girl  looked  wildly  about,  as  though  for 
help.  She  breathed  quickly.  Her  lips  were  dry 
and  crimson. 

"  A've  gin  muh  wud.  A've  gin  muh  wud,"  she 
kept  repeating.  A  fit  of  coughing  stopped  her. 
The  golden  white  flashing  of  an  apple  tree  near 
the  window  fell  across  her  eyes  for  a  moment, 
and  made  her  start. 


182  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Thar!"  she  cried.  "  Th'  sun's  up.  A  mus'  be 
a-goin'.  Done  say  no  mo'  tuh  me.  Lemme  go  ez 
easy  ez  a  kin.  A  done  hit  fuh — fuh  yuh!  Jhed 
tuh  promise  tuh  go  back,  'fore  they'd  let  you  loose. 
A  hed  tuh  do  hit.  A  Tied  tuh  promise.  An'  now 
yuh'se  safe,  an'  a  mus'  go.  Good-bye  !  Good 
bye  !" 

She  flung  herself  on  her  knees  beside  the  bed, 
and  gathered  Alice  to  her  breast.  Her  tears  fell 
hot  and  fast  on  the  pale  forehead.  Alice  heard 
her  strong  teeth  grind  together  in  her  effort  for 
self-control.  Someone  sobbed.  She  scarcely  knew 
whether  it  was  she  or  Tanis.  Darkness  shut  out 
that  icy  sparkle.  When  she  came  to  herself,  the 
doctor  and  Gilman  were  watching  beside  her. 
There  was  a  strong  smell  of  drugs  in  the  room, 
and  Tanis  had  gone. 

As  the  tall  figure  of  the  mountain  girl  began  to 
climb  the  foot-path,  down  which  she  had  come 
with  Mrs.  Gilman  at  daybreak  that  morning,  the 
people  in  the  hotel  office  crowded  to  the  windows 
to  watch  her. 

They  saw  her  pass  out  of  sight,  into  the  woods 


TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  183 

above,  but  soon  after  a  young  artist  called  out  to 
a  friend  : 

"  Come  here,  Davis  !  Look  at  that !  I  swear 
that's  stunning.  It  would  be  a  good  pose  for  a 
statue  of  Eve  gazing  back  at  the  garden  of 
Eden  !" 

Everyone  rushed  to  the  windows. 

Tanis  had  climbed  upon  the  prospect  plat 
form  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  stood  there 
leaning  on  her  rough  staff  and  shading  her 
eyes  with  one  arm  as  she  gazed  back  at  the 
valley,  which  she  was  leaving  forever.  The 
wind,  which  had  again  risen,  blew  back  and 
upward  her  dark  cloak.  Her  hair  was  whipped 
into  a  fantastic  swirl  above  her  head,  and  under 
her  heavy  gown  the  outlines  of  her  vigorous 
young  figure  cut  sharply  against  the  back 
ground  of  gold-blue  air.  For  at  least  ten 
minutes  she  stood  there,  without  moving,  and 
then,  turning  with  a  gesture  as  of  farewell,  leaped 
down  and  was  hidden  from  sight  by  the  tangled 
undergrowth. 

When   she  reached  a  maple,   which   had  been 


184  TANIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

blown  down  during  the  past  night,  a  man  came 
forward  and  joined  her. 

His  blue  eyes  had  the  glitter  of  ice  under  their 
bright  lashes.  His  beard  shone  in  the  cold  sun 
light  like  gold  wire,  and  his  breath  had  frosted  it 
near  his  mouth,  as  with  a  sifting  of  silver  dust.' 
He  laughed  as  he  put  his  arm  about  her,  not 
noticing  the  shudder  which  ran  through  her  at  his 
touch. 

"  A  got  ahead  o'  yuh  thet  time,  didn't  a,  honey  ? 
A  tole  yuh  ez  how  a'd  hev  yuh,  one  way  or  nuther, 
an'  a  done  hit,  ain't  a  ?" 

"  Yease.     Yuh  done  hit." 

u  A  reckon  a'll  have  a  time  of  hit,  a-tamin'  yuh, 
hey  ?" 

"  A  done  reckon  a  kin  be  tamed  by  nawbordy." 

"Well,  yuh  loves  me.  Yuh  done  tole  me  thet 
thar.  An'  a  man  ken  do  mos'  anythink  he's  a 
mine  tuh  wi'  a  'ooman  ez  loves  him." 

She  withdrew  herself  from  his  arm  and  looked 
at  him  with  an  expression  which,  to  him  at  least, 
was  inscrutable. 

"A  did  love  yuh,"   she  said,  in  a  low  voice. 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  185 

"  Even  thet  thar  drink  a  guv  yuh  an'  drunk  wi' 
yuh,  thet  did'n'  kill  muh  love  fuh  yuh.  But,"  her 
voice  dropped  and  again  she  shuddered,  "  a  reckon 
yuh've  kilt  hit  yuhse'f  this  time.  A  done  reckon 
even  hit's  yhose  '11  walk  no  mo'!" 

He  laughed,  and  seizing  her  in  his  arms  covered 
her  grave  face  with  reckless  kisses. 

"A  reckon  yuh  cyarn'  he'p  lovin'  me,  sugar, 
whe'rr  yuh  wants  tuh  or  no." 

She  was  silent,  and  coughed  .two  or  three  times 
as  her  head  rested  against  his  breast. 

"Hey?  Why  don'chuh  talk,  honey?''  he  said, 
shaking  her  gently. 

"A  am'  got  nuthin'  tuh  say." 

"  Don'chuh  love  me?'' 

"  A'li  mek  yuh  a  good  'ooman.'' 

"  But  don'chuh  love  me  ?" 

"A  'one  nuvver  fool  yuh.  A'll  ack  squar  by 
yuh,  Sam.  A  gin  yuh  muh  wud  an'  a  'on't  brek 
hit." 

"But  what  I  says  is,  don'chuh  love  me?" 

"Sam,  doez  yuh  know  what  love  is?" 

"  Yease — hit's  what  a  feels  fuh  yuh." 


186  TANIS;    THE    SANG-DIGGER. 

"  Well,  thet  done  seem  tub  me  like  love.  Mebbe 
no  two  folks  loves  i'  th'  same  way,  but  yub  hev 
changed  supp'n  in  mub  beart.  A  done  feel  to'ds 
yub  ez  a  usetub.  A  done  feel  to'ds  nuthiri*  th' 
same.  But  a'll  mek  yub  a  good  'ooman.  Now 
gimme  yo'  arm.  Somehow  muh  breath's  shorter'n 
it  use  tub  wuz." 

They  went  on  climbing  steadily  for  about  twenty 
minutes.  Then  she  murmured  under  her  breath: 

"Aw,  Gawd!  start  by  me!  A  done  whut  a 
thought  wuz  right." 

"What's  thet,  honey?"  asked  Sam.  "A  didn' 
byub  you  good." 

"A  wuz  jess  sorter  thinkin'  out  loud." 

"  Well,  let's  stop  hyuh.  A  reckon  yub  be  tired 
arter  all  thet  thar  trapeezin  larst  night.  'Sides,  a 
wants  tub  kiss  yuh  some." 

He  sat  down  on  a  mossgrown  stone  by  the  path 
and  took  her  upon  his  knees.  She  rested  inert  and 
listless  against  him.  The  sun  was  now  high.  The 
ice-clad  forest  flashed  and  shook  forth  thousands 
of  little  circular  rainbows. 

The   branches   of   the   spruce   trees   seemed   to 


TAXIS,    THE    SANG-DIGGER.  187 

smoke  as  the  wind  blew  off  the  light  dust  of  snow 
with  which  they  were  sprinkled. 

From  a  hole  in  the  tree  under  which  Sam  and 
Tanis  were  seated  a  flying  squirrel  and  her  young 
ones  peeped,  shivering.  Icicles  hung  before  the 
opening  to  their  nest  and  snow  had  drifted  in  upon 
them. 

A  bird  uttered  its  love-call,  clinging  with  numb 
feet  to  a  branch  of  rhododendron  bright  with  ice. 

THE    EXD. 


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